All That Remains
by TheSealer
Summary: Optimus destroys the Omega Lock, but he does it too little, too late. When there's no longer a green, living Earth to save...all that remains are three children. Universe XIII of my Transformers Multiverse.
1. Death of the Future

**Omega Lock, Sea of Rust, Cybertron.**

**2nd November 2012.**

The Autobots had come to Cybertron and seized the Omega Keys from the Decepticons, as well as securing the Omega Lock. Victory and the resurrection of Cybertron seemed certain for the Autobots!

Until Megatron, Soundwave, Starscream and Knock Out showed up holding Jack, Rafael and Miko hostages in pods. The Decepticons demanded a trade; the children for the Omega Keys. The Autobots reluctantly accepted and in a few minutes, the tide turned again in favor of the warmongers.

"Why rule one world, when I can rule two." Megatron revealed his master plan to cyberform Earth and a new Cybertron.

Optimus Prime watched with a growing dread in his Spark as the Omega Lock fired a beam of cybermater into the spacebridge vortex.

"No."

"If the Omega Lock can restore Cybertron, it will do the same to Earth, right?" Miko asked hopefully. There was an undertone of fear in her voice; fear that her belief was wrong.

"No." Optimus answered, ruefully. "It will cyberform your planet in favor of its new matrix. Destroying all indigenous life in the process."

"Such raw power!" Megatron marvelled. "What should I call my new domain? New Kaon? Or perhaps, Killed Earth?" he added derisively, purposefully taunting the children.

It worked, as Optimus looked at them, shouting in desperation:

"No!"

"Leave our planet alone!"

The Decepticons laughed maniacally at their triumph.

Enough!

Optimus shifted his arm into a blade and sliced the two Vehicons holding him. The Prime ran for the Star Saber and turned against the Decepticons. Megatron roared and ran to meet him, Dark Star Saber in hand. The two mighty blades met and the shockwave wreaked pushed them back. Optimus intended to slice off Megatron's sword hand, but the tyrant blocked the blow.

"I don't think so, Prime." he sneered. The battle between the godly blades reengaged.

* * *

**Cyberforming of Earth…**

**9%...10%...11%...12%...**

The cybermatter transmutated a hundred meter wide tunnel of solid rock and magna, all the way to Earth's core. When the core was completely cyberformed, the cybermatter began to spread back to the surface like an infection.

* * *

Seeing a window of opportunity, Arcee whispered to her fellow Autobots. "Let's do this!"

The Autobots gunned down the distracted Vehicons and re-obtained their relics. Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead left the children safely on the sidelines.

"Smokescreen, guard them with your life." she ordered.

"Arcee." Jack gave her a pleading look. She touched the glass, trying to sound reassuring:

"Don't worry, partner. We will save our shared home." she put on the Apex Armor and led her comrades against the other Decepticons.

"Scrap!" Starscream saw no chance of victory against three 'Bots armed with Iacon Relics. "Soundwave, bring in reinforcements!"

Another, smaller spacebridge opened between them and the Autobots, and a force of Insecticons came out. Bumblebee melded two of them into a ball of scrap, in mid-air, with the Polarity Gauntlet. Bulkhead froze them solid with the Immobilizer. And Arcee punched and scrapped them with her indestructible armor.

The Autobots were winning, but they were also running out of time.

* * *

**Cyberforming of Earth…**

**50%...52%...53%...54%...**

Half of Earth's volume was now metal on the inside. As the bowels of the planet were cyberformed, the surface shook violently. Cities in the most geologically violent spots crumbled, people ran terrified, unaware there was no place to run or hide.

* * *

The two leaders continued to exchange blows. Every time, Optimus attempted to disengage and go for the controls. Every time, Megatron would intercept his move.

"I know what you are thinking, Optimus." Megatron frowned. "I know you would be willing to do anything to save your pathetic pets' homeworld. Even if it meant destroying the only device that could restore ours. Even now you would do anything just to deny me what is rightfully mine!"

Optimus swang at Megatron, aiming for his side, but again the tyrant blocked it.

"How many, Megatron? How many must die and suffer until your lust for power and destruction is sated?"

"A small price to pay for the future!" Megatron glowered, kicking Optimus back. "I am guiding our race to a glorious destiny. We will take to the stars again, beyond Cybertron, and grind all of the Universe under our might. Never again will we fall into stasis and decadence!"

"Never!" Optimus shouted, colliding swords again. "Not while my Spark lives!"

"That can be arranged." Megatron smirked.

* * *

**Cyberforming of Earth…**

**76%...77%...78%...79%...**

The metal infection reached the surface. Fertile soils turned into cold alloys. Forests were dying out. Unfortunate animals on the ground had their very flesh converted into alien metal. The oceans were turning into raw, unrefined energon. The damned creatures swimming on them were painfully corroded alive. The human infrastructure converted and reconfigured into Cybertronian architecture.

* * *

"You've lost, Optimus Prime. Say farewell to your organic home!" Megatron drew an arch of energy with the sword. Optimus leaped on its way to avoid being sliced in half.

"MEGATRON!" the Prime and the warlord clenched swords together, sparking rays of energy. One of the blades shattered completely and, this time, it was Megatron's nefarious Dark Star Saber. The tyrant's optics widened as the purple shards flew before him and dropped the now useless hilt in defeat.

* * *

**Cyberforming of Earth…**

**84%...85%...86%...87%...**

* * *

Optimus could have ended it all, right then and there, but the Omega Lock was still functional and he didn't have a minute to waste. The Prime broke into a run, dodging shots and a missile, courtesy of Starscream and his associates.

* * *

**Cyberforming of Earth…**

**90%...91%...92%...94%...**

* * *

Optimus jumped on Starscream's face and prepared to deal a finishing blow to the control panel of the Omega Lock. He knew this could mean the end of Cybertron. But the Autobots had already lost one home, they would not lose another.

This was for all of them.

The Star Saber didn't sliced off the controls. The impacting energies of both artifacts of the Ancients did in fact provoked an explosion that blew everything surrounding the panel away. Only Optimus remained unfazed.

"Ratchet, open a spacebridge, quickly!"

The Omega Lock was destroyed. Before, a proud structure; now, a smoldering wreckage. Optimus walked towards his Autobots, who looked with mixed emotions to what their leader just did.

Smokescreen had all three pod containers with the children inside. His chassis bore a few burnt marks, he had used his own shell to protect the children form the explosion. The Prime allowed himself a bit of pride at the responsability his young recruit had proven.

The spacebridge opened and the Autobots made their retreat with heavy Sparks.

* * *

**Autobot Outpost Omega One.**

Ratchet was most astonished when he saw Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee carrying pod containers with Miko, Jack and Rafael, inside. He had figured something went wrong, as he had lost contact during that bizarre but potent energy spike.

"What happened?"

It was Bulkhead who gave response, with a crestfallen demeanor. "Optimus...destroyed the Omega Lock."

Ratchet's expression transformed into shock, then disbelief, and then horror. He turned to the leader:

"Y-you did what?"

"What was necessary, Ratchet. Megatron was using the Omega Lock to cyberform Earth. There was no time for a prolonged battle."

Ratchet wanted to argue further, but the computers beeped and the doctor had to attend them. He wouldn't let this matter rest there, though.

"Strange." he muttered. "According to my scanner, there appears to have been a great increase of mass, on the outside. The same place where the energy spike originated."

"Ratchet, watch the children." Optimus said somberly.

He and his warriors moved to the hangar, elevating outside. They contemplated a grim vision they hadn't had since the days of War for Cybertron. It was a tall, tower-like fortress, with spiky structures seemingly for decoration. On the upper levels were four giant rectangular cannons, each pointing to a different cardinal point. It was a replica of Megatron's HQ back on Kaon, Darkmount.

"Megatron has accomplished the first phase of his cyberforming of Earth."

"I think he has taken a bigger step than just 'first phase'. Take a long look." Bulkhead observed the surrounding environment. It was then that Optimus was thankful he hadn't brought the kids to see this.

The desert and the mountains, everything the 'Bots could see in a360 degree radius, had been cyberformed. The soil was now metal with irregular patterns of elegant lines. It looked just like the Badlands of Cybertron, making the fortress not so out of place.

"_Primus, please let it not rest of the planet suffer the same fate._"

Bumblebee chirped and pointed at the fortress. Or rather, at something before the fortress. It was the Nemesis, that had just descended from the gray, clouded skies. The ominous warship advanced towards them.

"The Decepticons have discovered the location of our base."

* * *

"Our opportunity to revive Cybertron has been lost," Megatron made a battle speech. "due to the treachery of Optimus Prime. But from our fortress of Ristvak'baen, he will instead seize control and colonize this world.

"Decepticons, transform and rise up!"

"I thought he would never ask." Starscream cried out in delight to transform for the first time since he lost his T-cog. The Seeker spread his wings and flew the Vehicons into battle. "Come my armada! Attack! Obliterate!"

* * *

"Autobots, into the base!" Optimus ordered a retreat, but not before hurling an arch of energy from the Star Saber at the incoming enemies, wiping out most of them.

"What's going on out there?" Ratchet asked frenetically, the metal ceiling rumbled with the heavy fire outside.

"The Decepticons have invaded Jasper."

"Optimus, I think they did much more than that." Ratchet turned his attention back to the monitors. "I just managed to get the receivers operational, but they still pick up no signal. It's as if human world wide communications just went mute."

Hearing this only tightened the cold grip the children felt around their hearts. They went for their cell-phones to contact their families. Jack tried his mom three times, then even Agent Fowler. None responded, not even directed him to voicemail.

"No reception." Raf half-sobbed. Fear was getting to him.

"Just...keep trying." Jack whispered, unwilling to believe the slowly sprouting voice in the back of his head telling him it was no use.

"Hold on, I'm detecting a signal!" Ratchet alerted. One more time the ceiling trembled. "It's airborne."

Jack smiled with renewed hope. Could it be Fowler or the military?

"_You didn't think I was gonna let team Prime have all the fun, did you?_" the voice of the speaker killed any hope Jack felt. It was Wheeljack, which Bulkhead expectedly laughed:

"It's Jackie!"

"_I picked up a strange energy surge, from the other side of the state, then I saw all the land going crazy and turning into metal. After we dump this 'Con trash, you guys have a lot of explaining to do._"

Unbeknownst to their hero, Wheeljack's very words deeply despaired the children, which Optimus took notice. If the Decepticons had indeed cyberformed the whole state of Nevada, then their families had most likely…perished. But mourning would have to wait, he needed to put Team Prime to safety:

"Ratchet, prepare to bridge everyone out of here."

"We're abandoning the base?" his old friend inquired incredulous.

"The base is lost. Wheeljack can only buy us time to escape." Optimus approached the computers. "Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen, return to our Energon storage and bring as much as you can, but do it quickly. Ratchet, you must take the Forge of Solus Prime from our vault. Given how precarious our future might be, we shall need every resource we can muster."

They did as instructed. Each Autobot carried one Iacon relic with them, sans Ratchet.

Optimus occupied himself in the controls of the bridge, looking for a specific spot of coordinates for the whole team to bridge out. For a time or two, one of the children questioned him what they were going to do, but the Prime didn't respond.

He didn't, because as he search for those coordinates, Optimus quickly learnt how much of Earth had been cyberformed and he had to appeal to every bit of his self-control to remain stone-faced.

He found the best spot he could, just as the ceiling began to crack open and the other Autobots returned with the items he ordered.

"It is time to depart." the Prime got on the comm. "Wheeljack, we're evacuating the base. Rendezvous with me in three solar cycles. I'm sending you the encrypt coordinates."

"_You got it. Over and out!_"

"With you, alone?" Arcee asked, attempting to discern Optimus' plan.

"I must go to fetch something else. Meanwhile, you will take the children to the coordinates I have selected for you. Stay together until Wheeljack and I regroup with you. For now, survival is our only priority now."

"Where are you sending us?" Jack asked, as he climbed on Arcee's seat.

"To somewhere I have deemed safe and far away from Megatron's seat of power." Optimus then turned to the crestfallen Ratchet and whispered to him so that no one else can hear. "Old friend, please you and the others look after the children. They will soon learn the true extent of their loss."

Ratchet gaze him a strange look but didn't probe and simply nodded. "Then, what about you?"

"Before I bridge myself out, I will program the power core to overload, so that the Decepticon cannot learn where we are. In five days, if all goes well, we will regroup."

As most of Team Prime went into the vortex, the medic gave one final look at his leader.

"I...never imagined it would end like this."

"Somethings have tragically ended today, but not us, old friend." Optimus sighed after Ratchet was gone.

By the time the Nemesis blasted Outpost Omega One into rubble, Optimus had bridged himself out and had programmed the groundbridge to explode, therefore blowing away any crumb trail the 'Cons could sniff and follow.

* * *

The **Decepticons **officially won, but they still lost the **Dark Star Saber** and missed their enemies on their escape. And before you ask, the 'bots only got time to pack all their stuff because **Team Prime** went (mostly) all to the same location.

You may notice **Megatron**'s speech before the onslaught was slightly changed form the episode. Instead of **New Kaon** \- I have other plans for that name) - the fortress is named after the one of the **Inheritance Cycle** of **Christopher Paolini**.

As for **Unicron**...


	2. New World

To answer the reviews of **Chrome Disaster** and **LuisJM**, my answer may be disappointing but with complex and lengthy reasons. Please, bear with me.

No, the cyberforming didn't turn anyone into cybertronians, because honestly, I never liked the idea of humans becoming transformers.

The foremost reason is because **minds are complex** and the mindset of a human often clashes with the mindset of a transformer. That was why **Spike Witwicky** from **G1** went mad when he was transferred into an Autobot body. Though cybertronians do have emotions like **love** and caring, they lack the capacity to feel the strongest depths of it. This might be because, quite frankly, they don't need to feel deep love. Remember, they are an exclusively assexual reproduction species.

Second reason, the personalities of the cybertronians are...**bizarrely shallow**, for a lack of better term. They are **MILLIONS** of years old, but barely behave like that. A human who could reach such age would have a strange, vast, nigh-indescribable mind, forged by the thousands of experiences that came from such a long life. In the sci-fi series **Babylon 5**, there are a handful of creatures who follow this example, like **Kosh** and **Lorien**. Take **Smokescreen**, for example; he may have not seen much of the War, but he still lived many, many years before. Yet he still behaved like a childish rookie, in the beginning. The only exception to this rule seems to be Optimus, whose personality is complex enough to fill the mold.

Third reason, while I agree that **transformers are cool** \- if I didn't i wouldn't be writing this fanfic - I think some of you readers underestimate humans. Granted, we're smaller, softer and have a much shorter lifespan. But as Optimus Prime wisely says, there's more to humans than meets the eye.

Now _if_ I were to make humans into cybertronians, I would choose make them technorganics, like Sari Sumdac. Since they're half of both worlds, technorganics are a nice mix, in my opinion. Reason why I am co-writting **Transformers: Skystrikers** of **FictionFan1024**, along with LuisJM.

* * *

**Geneva, capital of Switzerland.**

**2nd November 2012.**

The Autobots and human passengers crossed over the swirling vortex to a metallic landscape. As the only child to have gone to Cybertron and appreciated the views, - if war torn cities could even be appreciated - Jack could honestly feel the scenery was a bit familiar.

The sky was gray and nebulous, casting a glum, humid shade upon the metallic infrastructure. He dismounted Arcee and gave a look around. They were in the courtyard of some modern palace, now completely cyberformed into a 'Bot sized structure.

"Where are we?" he asked as his partner transformed, but it was Ratchet who answered:

"In Geneva, Switzerland. More specifically in what the humans call the Palace of Nations. Optimus searched hastily for a place that was not totally cyberformed and stood far away from the Decepticons. This was the first place he could come up with, under those pressing circumstances." the medic transformed as well, the Forge of Solus Prime fit inside his backpack-like part.

Jack gazed forward and could see pieces of a wide lake of water, completely untouched by the cyberforming. At least something here wasn't metal.

"So, what now?" Smokescreen asked.

"Ratchet, can you contact my mom from here? I know you got no equipment, but can you at least try?"

The medic completely ignored Jack's plead, but the boy knew he had been heard. Ratchet only replied to Smokescreen instead:

"We do as Optimus instructed us." the _de facto _second-in-command of Team Prime said a bit surlier than needed. "We stay here and keep a heavy guard and low profile, even if we learn for certain the Decepticons will remain on the other side of the planet until the next solar cycle."

"Ratchet…" Jack called again, still in vain.

"Arcee, Bumblebee and Smokescreen, scout around for any signs of…"

"RATCHET!" the boy's shout stopped the medic's ordering, but he did not turn to face the human. "Will you just listen to me, for a minute! I just want to contact my mom!"

Ratchet's response was lengthy to come out, and he kept his back turned:

"I'm afraid that will be a futile endeavour, Jack."

"Futile?! How futile?" Jack growled. His mom was definitely worried sick about him, she had to be!

"Jack, if the front of cyberforming reached this part of the globe, then everything between us and the Decepticon fortress has been cyberformed as well." Ratchet sighed, only now turning to him. The other 'Bots looked sorrowful as well. "I am truly sorry, but your mother has definitely perished."

The truth struck Jack like a freight train. Deep down, he had started to fear that truth since they returned from his abduction to Cybertron. In Outpost Omega One, when Ratchet reported world wide communications were mute...all the failed attempts to contact their families...when Wheeljack said about the whole state been turned into metal.

Now that the bombshell was dropped, all that dread felt like little preparation for this shock. Because Jack had desperately grabbed onto the tiniest shred of hope that June Darby was fine.

And when that last piece of hope was killed, all that remains is a cold, dark void.

Jack Darby felt the freezing horror spread from his stomach to his limbs and head. He staggered back and tripped. The disbelief was drowned by anguish.

Arcee kneeled down to attend him, her Spark tight with grief for her partner's loss. She had lost a good friend in June, but Jack had lost the only family he had.

"Oh, Jack." she lamented, holding him.

Jack clenched his eyes shut, though tears still fought and won their way out. In his grief, his grip grew so strong he broke the cellphone in his palm. The shards of metal, plastic and a bit of glass stung his hand and drew drops of blood. That pain was unfit to be called that compared to the maelstrom of sorrow inside him.

The other Autobots watched the scene with downed expressions, Ratchet included though he did his best to remain stoic. In his sadness, the medic discovered he hadn't felt this much grief since...since Cybertron went dark.

Now another planet had gone dark, too. In just one day, they had lost the chance to revive their home, and also their new home. The difference was that, this time, no inhabitants had embarked on a Great Exodus to save themselves. If the worst had been fulfilled, all that remains are the three children in their care.

The misery was so great it made him want to put barriers around his Spark, to make it so unreachable it would never form any attachment to anything else, ever again. Therefore, when he lost that thing, he wouldn't mourn it.

"Bulkhead, you're with me. We're going inside to install a temporary base." he took the figurative reins, acting so cool and detached to the point of apparent sociopathy. With Optimus away, he had to take the responsibility.

"Miko?" Bulkhead looked far way to the end of the courtyard and saw his charge, standing like a clothed statue of meat on the metal environment. Rafael was there as well, in the same state. Their guardians had been so absorbed in a scene with Jack, they hadn't noticed the other two wandering off. "Miko, come on, we better go."

"**Raf, what's wrong, bud?**" Bumblebee beeped and blurred. Raf turned to him, his pupils distant and eyes watery, and pointed to the other side behind the palace.

Miriads of metal statues stood there, all in similar poses of running in panic. It was even possible to distinguish the features on the faces, their horrified expressions trying to flee a terror unseen before.

Diplomats, politicians, tourists, men, women, elders and children. All turned into cold lifeless metal.

The children's faces were stoned, unable to move away from the sight. It took Bulkhead and Bumblebee to take them in their servos and bring them inside the palace.

Ratchet spared one last look to a tiny figure, a small girl on her knees with her face sunk in her hands. The child clearly had been crying when she was cyberformed to her untimely death.

"Oh, Primus!" he lamented quietly.

Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee's optics didn't leave their partners, whom they kindly carried. They seemed almost as distraught as the humans themselves. That would make the three warriors almost liabilities in any kind of work.

Ratchet sighed, he would have to give them time to comfort the children. Right now, the Decepticons should be picking clean Outpost Omega One, and many thousands of kilometers away. He would just have to hope that was enough safety for now.

"Smokescreen, assist me here."

* * *

**Ruins of Autobot Outpost Omega One.**

The old missile silo that used to be Autobot HQ was reduced to a gutted, smoldering mountain. With no pausing for celebration, the Decepticons scoured the ruins in search for the corpses of their foes.

"Leave no stone unturned!" Megatron watched his drones working. In his fantasies, he imagined himself holding the broken head of Optimus Prime by its neck cables.

"Master, we have uncovered a familiar face." a leading Vehicon reported, carrying a purple stasis pod. Inside was one of Megatron's former lieutenants, Airachnid.

"Well, isn't this a surprising turn of events?" Megatron bowed to see the spider-bot optic to optic, though he knew she could not staring him back, frozen in deep stasis. He was already imagining a few ways of dealing with that scoundrel, but that would be for later.

"Take our former comrade back to the cells of our fortress. Back to Ristvak'baen." he declared, gazing back at the fortress with gleeful pride. This was his first throne upon this world, his first seat of power. One of many he would gain in the next eons of conquest he already dreamed off. World after world, race after race, until all the Universe trembled under his might!

Starscream, who had just joined him, followed Megatron's line of sight and added his own thoughts. "This is the dawning of a new age, my liege: The reign of Megatron!"

Usually Megatron would ignore such sycophancy, but today he was in an excellent mood.

"You do have a way with words, Starscream." the warlord turned back to the laboring drones and barked, all pleasantness gone from his voice. "Make haste, and unearth the autobot corpses! Or whatever relics they may have left!"

For several hour-cycles the Vehicons dug and pushed rubble and debris, only to find nothing of value, save for a few scraps of energon not even worth collecting.

"Master," Starscream then reported, as they walked back to Ristvak'baen. "I regret to inform you that the squadron I sent to follow the Wrecker Wheeljack's ship was destroyed. The Autobot managed to lure them into an ambush."

Megatron gave no reply but a muffled snarl. Needless to say he wasn't pleased. Even in defeat, the Autobots still managed to evade capture. It was almost laughable that a mismatched team of Autobots, with limited resources, could frustrate a powerful army like the Decepticons.

In the old days of the gladiatorial arena, Megatron enjoyed fighting a resilient enemy before crushing it. But sometimes, the enemy was too resilient, it turned into a thorn in his side.

"The Autobots clearly groundbridged from their base before it was destroyed. They could be anywhere."

Starscream paused for thinking. "I suppose initiating a global deep surveillance is futile now, my liege. Soundwave's report that human communications have ceased completely is all too obvious." the Seeker said callously.

"Soundwave," Megatron spoke through his comm-link. "monitor all transmissions for any sign of autobot communication. With each other, or with their human counterparts.

"Now that the human infestation upon this planet has been eradicated, finding the Autobots' transmissions will no longer be like blindly searching a cybertitanium pin on a junkyard for spare parts."

"I shall have my armada ready to deploy to every sector of the planet the moment Soundwave finds a lead."

"Don't be so hasty, Starscream." Megatron muttered, gazing back at Ristvak'baen. The sight of the fortress made his worries lessen slightly. "The Autobots are wise enough to keep radio silence until they find some protection from Soundwave's audio receptors."

Without giving his SIC time to speak again, Megatron transformed and flew all the way to his throne room at the highest level of Ristvak'baen. Rather that sitting on the throne, he stepped to the edge where he could see the cyberformed landscape of his new conquest. One of many to come.

"Decepticons!" he bellowed to every of his followers who could hear him. That was just about all of them present. "Earth is our planet now. And we shall finish what we started back on Cybertron, eons ago. Humankind never saw their end coming, and neither will the Autobots!"

"All hail Megatron!" Starscream shouted with his fist raised, followed by the rest of them.

"All hail Megatron!"

* * *

**Palace of Nations, temporary Autobot shelter**.

Ratchet narrowed his optics at an imperfection on the medical tool he was crafting. It was a special scalpel, to replace the one he left on Outpost Omega One.

Despite the error, this was a task he actually took some small pleasure from, as it forces him to be focused and detached of his surroundings. The medic didn't believe he could do anything at all if he didn't keep a cool processor at this point.

"All done, doc." Smokescreen clapped his servos, after stacking the few energon cubes they brought in a makeshift wareroom.

"Good, now go tell Arcee to accompany you on patrol." he said without taking his eyes of his labor. Speaking of the femme, she chose that moment to make her entrance in the main hall.

The three guardians had disappeared into the palace carrying their grief-struck charges with them, each pair to a different destination. The children wanted to mourn alone, but their guardians wouldn't leave their sides.

So Ratchet gave them no chores for the day, and he and Smokescreen alone unpacked what they salvaged and made the place into a half-acceptable base of operations. It was nearly midnight and only now had one of the three remerged.

"The kids have finally fallen asleep, but not because they needed to recharge." she left that statement hang without further explanation. Ratchet nodded.

"Well, good for them. Tomorrow morning I will require Rafael's technical assistance."

Arcee eyed him with a surprised glare and then a disapproving frown.

"Ratchet, they have gone through the Pits with what has happened. And you want Raf, who is the worst shape, to start working like everything's a-okay?"

"Arcee," he sighed, placing the flawed scalpel in a table. "I am only asking everyone to do what I am doing: moving on. Yes, the children have suffered a devastating loss. But so have we. We lost Cybertron again. This time, we may have lost it forever." he said that last part with harsh bitterness that he had been restraining for some time.

"During the eons since we left our home, all that kept me going was the hope to see Cybertron restored. That hope is gone now, but I still function. Believe me Arcee, there have been moments when I wanted nothing more than just to halt and rust in peace."

Ratchet said every word with the same bitterness. The speech wasn't inspirational, no rain of hope to fill the Sparks and hearts of the desperate. It was a simple, bare statement of a fact: that Ratchet was still going, despite all hope having been lost.

Arcee was a bit taken aback. Smokescreen looked solemnly but avoided taking part in the argument, so the two-wheeler retorted:

"Don't pretend I don't know what it feels like! We have been fighting and suffering sacrifices since the War began. They are just children and though we have lost our world, we still have our Autobots out there. Jack, Miko and Raf have lost their world and their _race_."

"All the more reason for them to carry on, if for no other reason than to honor the memory of their kind." Ratchet returned back to his work on the scalpel. "I expect Rafael to be ready to assist me, tomorrow morning. End of discussion."

Arcee growled in exasperation. "You're impossible!" and she left for patrol with Smokescreen in tow. The recruit was eager to escape that scene.

Ratchet spared them a glare on their back and resumed to make adjustments on the tool. A part of Ratchet's Spark questioned himself if he really would have the courage to actually... _force_ Rafael to work.

...

No, he wouldn't. Despite his strong façade, he could not compel the children to do anything, if they do not wish so.

"_Optimus, please come soon. We need you now more than ever before._" he wished.

His next thought came to Megatron. His hatred for the warmonger had doubled in the last few megacycles. Probably, the leader of the Decepticons is now basking in his new power, and looking to sink his servos on every resource he can gather.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen throne varanda.**

**3rd November 2012.**

Megatron sat on his throne like a typical tyrannical overlord atop of a mountainous fortress, watching his conquered land with wicked glee. He summoned Starscream, who made his entrance by bowing on one knee. Megatron observed that with slight, _very_ slight pride. He now was certain Starscream had finally learnt his lesson; that the Seeker's place was never on the throne.

"How may I serve you, Lord Megatron?"

"To carry out the next phase, we must amount a great stockpile of energon. For that purpose, you will take a worker regiment and depart to a human city on the coastline. Once there, initiate the construction of an energon refinery."

When Earth was cyberformed, the oceans were converted into raw, liquid energon. A natural version of the fuel, not very energy-efficient. This raw energon cannot be consumed at all without proper treatments and refinement.

"Understood, my liege. But if we are to evaluate the purity of an entire ocean of energon, I would require Knock Out's expertize."

"Then do so and go. We must secure as much fuel as we can, not only for our means but also to exhaust and finally crush the Autobots." Megatron clenched his right fist, now his original one, for emphasis.

Yesterday he had had Knock Out replace the arm of Zeta Prime with his old fusion cannon. With the Dark Star Saber destroyed and the Forge of Solus Prime unexplainedly missing, there was no point in keeping that weak hand. Though he had the doctor keep it in storage, just in case it was needed again.

"Master, far be it from me to judge your wisdom," Starscream said. "but surely the Autobots are too disorganized to pose an immediate threat."

Megatron rose from his throne with the expression of a harsh teacher instructing a slow-learning child.

"That, Starscream, is why you don't have the qualities to rule the Decepticons. We may have gained a great advantage over our enemies. They may be demoralized and disorganized, but they are not offline." he walked towards the veranda, Starscream clearing out of his way, and gazed into the sun set. "This planet is now just as a resource-rich bastion to them as it is to us.

I would not be the least bit surprised if Optimus Prime had already secured a new base."

* * *

**Battery Park, New York City.**

The city that never sleeps was asleep in death, as not a single life-form remained alive. The people, the animals, the plants, even down to the simplest microorganisms were rendered into lifeless metal.

The only sound heard was the wind blowing in the ghost city before a groundbridge flashed open and Starscream, Knock Out and a regiment of Vehicons came out.

"Ah! It almost looks civilized!" the Seeker admired the cyberformed buildings, now perfect in size and architecture for Cybertronians to inhabit. Every infrastructure was decorated with perfectly angled curves and complex designs, so unlike the plain and ugly constructions of pesky humans. "As soon as we get rid of the remains of these insects." he disgustedly kicked the statue that had once been a panicking old woman. The place that once was Battery Park was full of these _statues_, that Starscream thought it would be best to melt them for recycled alloys.

"Indeed it does." the narcissistic medic felt obliged to agree with Starscream. "Hopefully the Big M will make this our fist city. It has a nice view."

Starscream ordered Vehicons to start filling some tubes with raw energon for Knock Out to make a quick analysis. Granted the doctor could do that himself, but why bother when there were drones around to do all the dirty work?

"This is the first step towards our destiny, Knock Out." Starscream began another one of his speeches of grandeur. "After eons of battling, we may have lost a planet, but we gained another. The first of many which will fall under the might of the Decepticons, as we carve our name in the stars themselves!

"And in the process we get to cleanse the Universe of weakling, filthy species like those humans." he said the last part with clear disdain and glee that said species was already extinct.

"In all fairness, in spite of their disgusting fleshiness, they do manufacture some fine-looking automobiles."

"Don't tell you actually miss them." the SIC turned to the medic with a quirked eyebrow.

"Not at all, Screamer. I was just stating a fact. Besides, it no way outweighs the hideousness of their species." Knock Out groaned. "I have searched the internet occasionally after arriving on this formerly-organic rock. Frankly, I find it repulsive the way human interface...it's just, eww!" he shivered with disgust. "I say goodbye and bad riddance!"

"Oh, I just had a thought!" Starscream said with a grin. "Guess this, doctor. What do you call seven billion dead humans?"

"A riddle now?" Knock Out shrugged. "I give up."

"Planetary redecorating. Ah!" Starscream laughed at his own insensible joke.

* * *

**Grand Canyon National Park.**

**5th November 2012.**

The Jackhammer flew peacefully in the blue of the sky. The ship sported several scars from battles and skirmishes. Some very old, others quite recent. But Wheeljack, much unlike Knock Out, refused to make those dents and scratches disappear, lest they threatened the optimum functionality of the ship. The old-school Wrecker took pride on his ship and the trials it went through.

But today Wheeljack could hardly appreciate that, or anything else. Whenever he looked down he saw the cyberformed surface of the land. It awakened mixed emotions on him.

The first was a feeling of home and comfort. Granted ever since Cybertron went dark, Wheeljack had never settled down on a place long enough to call it home. He never stayed for long, but he always returned when they needed him. Now Earth seemed much more welcoming, that made his Spark actually...rejoiced.

And then the other feeling, that of anger came crashing in, making the 'Bot despise himself for his slight happiness. Occasionally, he had passed by a small settlement where, if he zoomed in with his optics, the remains of the inhabitants stood frozen in metal. Only Megatron could stare at that and feel no pity for those humans.

"Damn Buckethead!" he cursed.

Wheeljack continued on his solitary journey to the coordinates the Boss 'Bot, Optimus Prime, sent him. Hopefully it's a trap and he might have to bust his way out from a squadron of 'Cons. Yep, that should brighten his mood a bit.

He carefully landed the Jackhammer on a narrow canyon with a cave on the side. Wheeljack left the ship, ready to fight for his life or greet another 'Bot. Whatever of those turned out to be.

"Wheeljack." an unmistakable voice echoed and Optimus Prime came walking out, battlemask on and blasters at the ready. Wheeljack could definitely appreciate Prime's battle readiness.

"Nice seeing you still function, Boss 'Bot." he greeted, lowering his guns and relaxing his stance.

"You should not lower your guard until you know for certain I am no imposter." the Autobot leader admonished.

"I already know, Prime." the Wrecker smirked. "No 'Con would dare pretend to impersonate you. Plus, if some did, he would never tell me to keep my barrels aiming at ya."

Optimus nodded; that was true enough. Seeing the Jackhammer was proof enough for Optimus that this was indeed Wheeljack, and the Prime lowered his blasters.

"Let us be off, then."

The journey as quiet, as Optimus wasn't one to make small talk. He only spoke when Wheeljack did. The Wrecker had a question that had been grinding his gears for some time.

"During the last three days, I've been scoping out the territory. So far, found nothing but cyberformed land. We have a hour-long trip until we reach our destination. So care to tell me what happened?"

Optimus took a moment before retelling the events that happened at the Omega Lock. By the time he was finished, Wheeljack's servos were threatening to tear off the the controls of the console he was gripping.

"Damn Buckethead!" he snarled with much more venom than before. Once he cooled his oil, Wheeljack turned to Optimus with narrowed optics:

"No offense, Prime, but I think you should have let the 'Cons let the kids have it. Don't mean to sound cold-sparked, but Miko and the others are tougher than they look. They were prepared to die for Cybertron. Sure they would have done the same for their own world."

Optimus said nothing. His processor had been mowing over the same subject for the last three days of solitude. He had handed over the Omega Keys because he refused to sacrifice the children they had sworn to protect. It was a hard decision, but he would stay by it again. Even if Megatron revived Cybertron, that didn't mean the Decepticons would be in control. Activating the Omega Lock doesn't grant the user the ability to shape Cybertron after their image.

His plan was to allow the Decepticons to revive Cybertron, and put the children to safety. Then they would fight, and Optimus would put an end to Megatron's reign. But the Prime, in all his wisdom, had never predicted his archenemy would use that power to cyberform Earth. Now two planets had been lost.

Had he had the foresight of keeping a closer watch on the children, could this have been averted?

"Prime," Wheeljack cut off his train of thought. "I've been wanting to ask this, though I don't think I'll like the answer. As I said, I've only seen the states around here, so how much has been cyberformed?"

Optimus didn't meet his gaze:

"All of Earth, save for a handful of patches of land."

Wheeljack gaped in shock. It surpassed even his anger, now. Shaking his head, he felt sorry for the poor kids and what they must be going through.

The rest of the journey was utter silence. It was a pitch black night when they arrived at an isolated part of the Grand Canyon, where a wrecked ship laid.

The Harbinger.

* * *

**Starscream** is a sparkless aft! Tell me what you think of 'Bots and 'Cons different views.

If you're wondering why I choose **Geneva**, let me tell you. It wasn't because it's a small but beautiful European city like so many other. Nor is it because its the acclaimed world capital of peace. I choose it because of one of the greatest inventions of humankind: **chocolate!**

I have a **prize** for my readers. As you may have noticed, this story started with the date **2nd November 2012**. I didn't chose this date randomly, there's a reason and whoever finds out what it is, will get some **private spoilers**.

Many of you might be wondering when **Shockwave** and the **Predacons** are gonna come out. Sorry but since no **relics** were left at the **Omega Lock**, Megatron didn't send his forces there to, by coincidence, find the cyclops. Shockwave will appear, but much later.

The next chapter will be the from the children's point.


	3. Never, Never, Never Give Up

The events of this chapter go in-between those of the previous one. Just follow the dates to keep up the timeline. This happens right after the first scene of the previous chapter.

Justo so we're clear, **Ariana Park** is in the courtyard of the **Palace of Nations** facing Lake Geneva. The Armillary Sphere is in that park. The **Jet d'Eau** (Water Jet) is a 140-meter-high jet on the opposite side of Lake Geneva.

Now to answer my readers:

**Misfit-Kiwi****; ****LuisJM****;** **Kaleia**: The atmosphere is still mostly hydrogen/oxygen. Since Cybertronians don't breath, the Omega Lock wouldn't 'bother' to change the atmospheric composition. Right now, a very limited amount of creatures is breathing on Earth. Though virtually all of the biosphere as been cyberformed, the flora still outnumbers the fauna. Besides if it were just Jack, Miko and Rafael breathing, it would take centuries for all of them to consume all of Earth's oxygen.

**Wonderfull Dreams**: There are still other humans left, but none of them in Geneva. They exist in other 'earth-puddles' that were spared from the Omega Lock. But they are far away in between and it will take many, many years before the kids see another human.

Even so, the number of humans left is less than a thousand and most of them would die of malnutrition, injury or illness, thus decreasing the genepool so much, that the species is no longer genetically viable. For all intents and purposes, the human species has been destroyed.

* * *

**2nd November 2012.**

**Geneva, Switzerland.**

The three guardians carried the children inside the palace, the just-declared Autobot base. The children said they wanted to be alone, but their guardians wouldn't leave them. So each Autobot went into isolation with their charge.

Bulkhead opted for a vast conference room on ground floor. He didn't feel like trying out the floors above, like Arcee and Bee.

"Okay Miko, let it all out." he said gently

The girl sobbed, all the though, carefree front crumbled under the anguish. It might not be visible at first impression, but Miko Nakadai was a vulnerable girl who didn't deem herself in high view, thus she always jumped at the chance to prove herself. Bulkhead had learnt that when they first became partners.

An hour, two hours, three hours, four hours passed while the girl sobbed silently without a word, not even a whisper. It was the longest time Bulkhead had seen her without talking.

The sun was setting and Miko delivered herself to utter silence. The crying had ceased, though only because her bloodshot red eyes were exhausted, Bulkhead thought. She sat hugging her legs, head on her knees. Occasionally, she trembled a bit and he did his best to comfort her.

"Say, there's a Monster Truck Rally scheduled today, oh!" he slapped his palm over his mouth, but the mistake was said. He mentally cursed himself for it. There would be no more Monster Trucks, ever again.

"Sorry. Hey, I got it. How about a ride, Wrecker style, right! You know, a little cruise through the mountains, making a huge tail of dust right, oops!" he berated himself again for his miserable attempt.

"Bulk...please stop it!" she whispered, her voice on the verge of breaking down all over again.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. "I...I really can't even imagine how you're feeling."

"How'd you feel if you were the last 'Bot and Buckethead had conquered Cybertron?" she asked bluntly, throwing him a challenging look. Bulkhead was taken aback and felt even more helpless to help his partner. Miko took that reaction as an answer. "I miss my parents. My host parents. Heck, I even miss my cats!" and restarted a silent weeping.

"I...I wouldn't know what to do." he finally replied. As a Wrecker, Bulkhead was a though 'Bot to force into giving in. One of the very few times that happened was during his Tox En escapade. The toxic fuel had drained of all strength, in body and Spark. If it hadn't been for Fowler's encouragement…

Thinking of the old Army Ranger made his Spark feel tight with shame. He was ashamed for not having made a thought about him until now. At first, Bulkhead didn't like the guy; he was just a bureaucrat with pretty big bearings. But after a few adventures, a few rescues, he had grown close to the man. Maybe because they were both old warrior lugs.

It had been the same with Miko, basically.

"_Humans,_" he thought "_you grow to love 'em if you don't want to._"

"Miko, I'm sorry about all of this." he sighed dejectedly. "If I could go back in time, I would change this in a Sparkbeat. I can't.

"But I promise you, I'll never leave your side again. Like you never left mine when I was dosed in Tox En."

"You promise?" she looked at him with teary eyes.

"Promise. Wrecker's honor." she leaned on his heelstrut for comfort and he gently tapped her head with a massive but kind finger.

* * *

**3rd November 2012.**

The late-autumn morning in Geneva was cool and frosty. The humid air during the night had casted a thin layer of ice upon the hardy metal surface, which would gradually melt as the day became slightly warmer.

But inside Bumblebee's vehicle mode, who was parked on the second floor of the cyberformed Palace of Nations, Rafael Esquivel spent a warm night, shielded from the ice by his guardian.

The first faint rays of sun weren't what awoke the boy. The ground trembling with the approaching Ratchet's steps was.

"Bumblebee, Rafael, did you have a good power down?" the medic asked passionlessly.

"Go away." Raf quietly mumbled through a barely wound down window.

"Come again?"

The boy opened the door and glared daggers at the 'Bot. "I want to sleep more. I'm tired!"

Ratchet made a quick scan of the boy and responded. "My scanner begs to differ. Your body is well rested."

"But I don't want to!" Raf did a sort of pouting - crossing his arms and looking stubbornly down - that Ratchet had never seen in him.

"Rafael, stop acting like a newborn Spark!" the medic berated "I require your assistance if we are to stop Megatron."

"What's the point now?" Raf rebuked, his crossed hands trembling. "Megatron won. There's nothing left to protect anymore."

"**Raf**." Bumblebee buzzed with pity, like he mentally shared the boy's torment. "**Please, don't say that.**"

"Is that your decision?" Ratchet kept his tone emotionless and even.

"Yeah."

This was it. Rafael wouldn't cooperate unless he was physically compelled to. And for that, Ratchet would have to be the one to do the 'compelling'.

"Very well." Ratchet turned and walked away. Despite of all that hang in the balance, Ratchet couldn't bear the idea of forcing the boy to work against his will.

He casted a look outside through the window. Geneva was now an appealing city meant for Cybertronians. It almost felt like a welcoming home to him. But Ratchet was certain that, to the children, the beautiful metallic view looked like the cemetery that Cybertron was to him.

When Ratchet was gone, Raf was shaking:

"Bee, please go."

"**What?**"

"Go with Ratchet. He may need help."

"**You need me more.**"

"Please just go. I...want to be alone." he begged.

Bumblebee heard the tone of grief and didn't have the Spark to deny him. Allowing the boy to get out of his alt mode, Bee transforms and picked up Raf to place him gently on a raised platform with walkways.

"**I'll be back ASAP.**"

"Please don't." Raf pleaded. "I want to be alone."

That hurt the scout but he kept his hurt to himself and left the room. Raf allowed himself to shed his tears. He didn't care about the _maldita_ war, the 'Bots or the 'Cons. Screw whoever won because _he_ had lost!

"Mamá...papá." he sighed. He wanted his parents. He wanted his siblings. He wanted his family to tell him all was well, that they would get through this! Instead he was alone. He wanted this to end! He wished he could just...end it all!

Out of the corner of his eye, the boy saw a few sharp metal shards lying around.

* * *

**In another room.**

When the sun was in half-morning, peeking shily through some clouds, Jack at last awoke. As he stirred and opened his eyes, he was surprised not to find himself in his bedroom and awakened by his alarm clock.

Instead he found himself in a large metallic confinement, with a strange yet familiar appearance. His memory bounced back to his handful of visits to the Nemesis. Dear God, he was on the 'Cons' warship!

Frantically, he tried to hide in case a random Decepticon showed up. Then he looked out the large window to see the sun, the cyberformed Geneva and the non-cyberformed lake. The memories of the last 24 awaking hours pieced together in his brain, like a forgotten dream suddenly remembered.

The Omega Lock. Jasper, Nevada cyberformed...and beyond.

He hadn't even said goodbye to his mom. Mom...when had been the last time he saw her?

_Flashback:_

"_Mom, I'm off to school!" Jack said, gathering his papers in a haste. June didn't reply. "Mom!"_

_He found her snoozing on the couch with her work clothes. She had come home late, last night. Sympathetically, Jack drew a thin cover over her and exited the house. He did not bid her farewell, though. She was asleep and Jack knew he would see her again later._

_End of flashback._

Jack shook his head, pushing away those thoughts and tears. To think about that would be…

Darn it all! He needed to find some distraction to...to turn away from the cold reality. Looking around he found no Arcee. She must have had left after he fell asleep.

Jack now realized he wasn't on the floor of the room, but rather on a platform, at the same level as the window. Similarly to Outpost Omega One, the platform was fit for humans to walk onto. Wierd.

The platforms had also walkways and doors perfect for humans to travel on. It was as if the Omega Lock had made the infrastructure in cybertronian size, but had also considered the natives' needs.

"No, it didn't!" Jack berated himself for his wishful stupidity. If the Omega Lock had done to make humans' lives easier, it wouldn't have turned the rest of the world into a graveyard of polished alloys.

He followed the walkways to a massive platform elevator. As well, the elevator had a platform with human-sized controls. Problem was these controls were all in cybertronian:

"Scrap!" so much for that. Aparently, the Omega Lock had set things for cybertronians of all sizes.

On trial and error, Jack finally manage to make the elevator descend to ground floor, after three successive failures. He passed by the laboring Ratchet without a word, the medic probably didn't even realized he was here.

He came outside to the Ariana Park to meet again the cyberform landscape with a heavy heart. This time though, the absence of shock let him watch the scenery with a more analyzing eye. One thing that caught it was the Celestial Sphere - he remembered the name vaguely from a slideshow of a history lesson. The sphere with the zodiac signs had been cyberformed, but retained its overall appearance and size. The water below it had turned to energon, though.

In all honesty, the glowing blue substance bathed the sphere on a nice coloring.

At distance Jack could have sworn he heard the sound of water falling. Not a cascade, but rather as a jet of water. His line of sight turned south, but he found no source for the sound. He began to walk towards the source, doing his best to avoid looking at the petrified people. His pace eventually became a race.

He came to a halt when he reached the border of Lake Geneva. The water was surrounded by a layer of dirt; a barrier of earth between the metalized city and the lake.

Jack bent down to caress the soil. A weird idea, yeah. But after seeing metal for so long, he had actually missed the ground. Any other time before this, he would have laughed at himself for missing dirt.

People only appreciated things when they were taken from them, he realized.

Turning his sight back to the lake, he found what he was looking for. On the opposite margin of the lake was a big water jet, spiting the precious liquid about 140 meter high in the hair. It looked plain and simple, barring for its size. There were so many water jets built by man around the world. Even nature crafted those as geysers.

Nonetheless, a slight pinch of joy touches his heart. "At least something build by humans still lives."

Having lived in the isolation of Nevada his whole life, the only other lake Jack has seen before was Tahoe, on the border with California. He had gone there once on vacation with mom.

Again the cold needle pierced his heart and he had to fight the urge to breakdown and cry. Ruefully, he turned away and dwelled back into the city.

He walked, walked, walked. Completely absentminded, since the city was drowned in silence, save for the wind's occasional blows.

* * *

**Pregny-Chambésy, north of Geneva.**

Jack wandered aimlessly until he realized he was no longer on the city, he thought. The houses - still cybertronian-sized - were much smaller and only one-floored, compared to in Geneva. Though there were still signs and touches of human architecture.

Jack examined his surroundings better, fearing for a moment to be lost. The fact that everything was metal made getting directions a bit confusing. Rotating in a 360 degree angle, Jack stopped abruptly when he spotted something that wasn't gray tasteless alloys. It was brown earth and green vegetation!

"Oh, man!" he grinned from ear to ear, speeding up to the place, not caring if he got himself even more lost.

Jack arrived at an extension of several fields and farms, untouched by the cyberformed land. There grew crops of wheat, vinesand trees of fruit, especially trees. On the other side the sounds of different animals echoed, from cattle to chickens.

The last time Jack saw anything like this was in old Jeffrey's ranch, which he used to visit with his mom.

Flashback:

_Thirteen-year-old Jack loved the visits to Old Jeffrey's ranch, whom he affectionately called Grandpa Jeff. Jeffrey was in his late-sixties and an old friend of June's. He had taught young Jack how to ride a horse. One afternoon they were riding together when Old Jeffrey said:_

"_You know what to do when you're struggling against something you can't beat, Jacky?"_

"_We...trip them?" he replied with a grin._

"_Ah, good one. But no." Jeffrey had his steed halt and Jack did the same. "Once a man wiser than myself said: 'You can always take one of them with you'_."

"_I don't get it." Jack shrugged._

"_Winston Churchill was his name, I've always read his words. When the Nazis threatened his nation, he told his people that. It means that even when faced with a hopeless battle, even when you know you will lose, you can still achieve something." Grandpa Jeff explained. "You can still kill your enemy even if it costs you your life."_

_The old man paused in his speech before looking at the boy intently._

"_Never forget that, Jacky. You understand?"_

"_Yeah, I think I do." young Jack nodded._

"_Good. Here's another advice, also spoken by old Churchill: 'Never, never, never give up'."_

_End of Flashback._

Jack sighed. Old Jeffrey had passed away a year ago but he was the closest thing Jack had had to a paternal figure.

"What brings you here, Jackrabbit?"

Jack was startled to find Miko sitting behind a wall of piled lichen and moss covered rocks. What surprised him the most was that she appeared to have been there for some time but had kept silent.

"Miko, how long have you been there?"

"Dunno. Some hours. Since I told Bulkhead I wanted to be alone." she shrugged, chin laying on her knees. "I took a walk and found this." she motioned to the farm.

Jack approached her and whispered:

"Doesn't even sound like you."

"Oh, what? You think I should be humming the newest Slash Monkey album?" she snapped glaring at him venomously.

"No, I'm just saying...I'm worried about you."

"Don't assume you know me. Even Arcee is closer to me than you." she turned her gaze to the farm with a pout. Jack now saw the red in her eyes and sat beside her. It occurred to him that he indeed had never learnt that much about Miko. Bulkhead and Arcee - the latter had bonded with the girl after a deep conversation with her - claimed Miko had a quiet, timid side. Jack had found that doubtful at the time.

Yet now, here she was, quiet and timid. She had been just like this when Bulkhead was grievously hurt after the Tox En debacle.

"You know what? You're right, I don't know you that well." Jack admission moved Miko to glare back at him. She probably expected him to contradict her. "So why don't you fill me in?"

"What's the point?" she returned to her mooping. "Everything I cared about is gone."

Jack allowed a small pause before saying: "A wise man once told me, that a wiser man than himself had said: 'if you're going through Hell, keep going. 'Cuz if you stop, you're stopping in Hell'."

"Who said that?" Miko asked tiredly.

"Old Jeffrey, the rancher. He loved Churchill's quotes."

"You wanna know something I never told anyone?" she confessed.

"If you trust me enough."

"When I snuffed Hardshell, I did it not only to save Wheeljack, but also to avenge Bulk. I wanted that scrapeater to burn. I thought I would feel great afterwards; I didn't. I feel no remorse for killing that oversized cockroach, but there's no satisfaction, either."

"Still, you did the right thing." he told her smoothly.

"I know, otherwise Jacky would be rust now. After Arcee told me how she met Cliff, I've figured I did it because I didn't want Hardshell to hurt another one of my friends.

"You know I how feel right now?" she looked at him in the eye. "I want to Megatron to burn for it. I want Buckethead and every last fraggin' Decepticon turned into slag!"

She was now shedding furious tears, her fist clenched in an anger outlet. Jack tried to maintain his composure but eventually hugged her, albeit a bit timidly. She was slightly shocked by that, but hugged him back. Jack whispered without intention:

"...You can always take one of them with you."

"What?" she pulled back.

"Another thing Old Jeffrey took from Churchill's book. When you know the fight is lost, never, never, never give up. That way, even loosing you can take out one of them with you."

Miko looked at him with a penetrating look so unlike her. It was as if she was trying to dig into his mind.

"Where are you going with that?"

"_Where am I going?_" he mentally asked himself. Was he even trying to make a point? That phrase he whispered had been totally unintentional.

Yet he felt some meaning to it. Winston Churchill had said those words in preparation for a hopeless battle. In Jack's point of view, the battle was already lost when Megatron managed to kill Earth.

Megatron. The laughing of that...murderer still rang in the boy's ears.

'_What should I call my new domain? New Kaon? Or perhaps….Killed Earth?_'

Jack had always thought Megatron was evil, but now he understood the meaning of the word. Evil finds pleasure in the misery of others. Evil is the one thing in the Universe that must be eradicated, unconditionally.

"My point is…" Jack finally responded, slowly getting up. "we're still here. You, Raf and I. We helped the 'Bots before. We can still help them take down the 'Cons once and for all! We can always take one of them with us!"

Miko's penetrating look expanded, eyes wide before narrowing. She looked at her hands, clenching them into fists.

"I'm in. Wreckers never give up! Buckethead will rue the day he messed with our planet!" the girl stood up and knocked fists with him. Then she flashed a Chesire grin and punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey! What your problem?" he groaned and massaged the sore spot.

"That's for acting like a wuss and hugging me. Woman up!" she mock-snarled.

The two walked back to the palace, Jack casted a glance to the farms. They would probably be useful.

* * *

**Aboard the Nemesis, flying over New York.**

Knock Out walked into his medical bay/laboratory, stretching his servos. This was his place for relaxation when he was not allowed to engage in street-racing. Now that humans were dead and gone, those races were pretty much over. A shame.

That meant he would be spending a lot more of his leave time in his quarters. Luckily he now had a hobby which could fill that time. After buffing himself where he sported a few scratches, following a shining wax bath, he walked to another room of his lab.

In there was a solitary berth with a bulking but heavily injured figure strapped on. The shell of the late Breakdown, now the body of the former terrorist leader and abomination Cylas, in stasis.

"Wakey, wakey, _partner_!" Knock Out shove his stun prod harshly into Cylas' flank. The hybrid awoke with a painful cry. "Ah, aren't you a sight for sore, red optics?"

Cylas' cries died down until they were but incoherent mumblings. For all intents and purposes, he was intact. But only by threads. His limbs were mostly cut off from his torso, connected only by the threads of the neural system. Cylas couldn't move his arms and legs, but he could still feel the pain of being torn apart, as Knock Out had demonstrated multiple times.

"So Cylas, are you ready for today's lesson?" Knock Out's giggly tone was stark contrast with Cylas' terrified shooks of head and incoherent mumblings.

After weeks of being victims of the 'Con's twisted experiments, Cylas was ruined. Even though his physical ailments could be mostly repaired, his mind would never be the same again. One of the very last humans left was destroyed without even being dead.

"By the way," Knock Out spoke while retrieving a vial with a green substance. "have I told you about what we have done with the planet? The Omega Lock really put a new shine on. No more human insects hurting my finish, no more organic mess that could make me throw up in my mouth.

"And best of all, _partner_, you're even more unique now! Probably the last human is now under my care; that is you!" the doctor spoke like delivering the news that Christmas was coming early this year. "I guess congrats are in order. You're not just a freak of nature anymore, but also one of the last members of a biologically extinct species."

Cylas paid no heed to that mocking and kept shaking his head in terror, optics froze on the vial of green stuff.

"Okay, enough chit-chat, class is now in session! This is a special but terribly nasty acid. In small doses it's used in the process of refining energon. But even too many drops can do terrible damage to circuitry. Like this." Knock Out used a dropper and fell three droplets onto the nerves linking Cylas to his left arm. Three overwhelming waves of agony exploded and the abomination roared. It felt like a human's nerves being pressed with a hot iron.

* * *

**Hours later at sunset.**

**Palace of Nations, Geneva.**

Jack and Miko went up to the second floor of the Palace, intent to look for Raf. On their way back, Arcee had caught up with them and drove them back. On the way, Jack had questioned his curiosity about the human-sized features of the palace.

"The Omega Lock must have made those walkways for the protoforms. Cybertronian children." had been her answer.

"We should have checked on Raf earlier." Jack said.

"I saw him at noon, in his room. He looked gloomy." Miko confessed, shamed. "Should have talk to him, but I was…" she left that hang unfinished.

"Don't beat yourself over that." he consoled her. He opened the small door to the room where Raf and Bee had spent the night. Right now the scout was patrolling beyond Geneva, on the lookout for Decepticons, just in the unlikely scenario they do appear.

"Just don't...RAF!" Jack shouted and broke into a mad run towards the boy. He pried the sharp metal prod from the boy's hands, who had been inching it closer to his own throat, and threw it away. The stupefied Miko joined them, looking bewildered to Rafael.

"Raf, what the frag were you doing?!"

He looked from her to Jack and back to her. His eyes were small and dark, the glasses discarded. "I just...wanted to end it all."

"Raf." Jack sighed, dropping on his knees and hugged the little guy he considered a brother. Miko bent down and joined the hug. When Raf spoke again, he sobbed as tears began to fall:

"I-I tried to do it...many times before...the whole day. But… I just c-couldn't do it!"

A pause followed, filled with Raf's sobs. Miko and Jack didn't let go of him and let him cry on their shoulders.

"I couldn't do it. Why?"

Jack released him and looked him in the eye. "Because...you still care. Raf, you're not weak because you couldn't do it. You're strong, 'cuz you're still fighting."

"Fighting for w-what?" he sobbed again.

It took the teenager a little to find the answer. "For us. We're all that remains. We have to fight. Now more than ever."

Raf gazed at him, his darkness dissipated a little but the grief was still intact. He drowned himself into another tempest of sobs and tears. Jack and Miko hugged him again.

* * *

**4th November 2012.**

Ratchet made his trademark irritation groan, as the newly-built makeshift computer crashed. Usually he would blame it on primitive Earth technology. Except this time he was operating with Cybertronian hardware, exclusively. Ratchet and the others had scavenged many parts throughout Geneva, which the doctor put together.

"Scrap it!" he muttered as he put out the smoke emitted by the short-circuited hardware.

"You're doing it all wrong." the young voice of Rafael Esquivel approached behind Ratchet, who turned to him agape. "Here, we need to uncorrupt the hard drives first."

The boy genius took out his laptop and plugged it to the mainframe Ratchet was working on. Together, the two brought the device online.

Ratchet gazed at the boy who worked with unwavering determination and smiled. Finding a goal to achieve was the first step to overcome grief.

While Raf assisted the medic, he also download massive files from the crumbling internet about survivalism and other important subjects. He had to accumulate as much information as possible before the internet collapsed completely. That was his mission.

* * *

**6th November 2012.**

**Shopping center, Geneva.**

"Jackpot!" Miko grinned, getting the shirt in her large backpack, now almost filled with scavenged items. From articles of clothing, to food, to mechanical parts and to small tools, Miko was in charge of collecting anything that could be useful. Taking strolls around the empty city, she often found tiny places and stores where the cyberforming wasn't complete. Tragically, up until now no other human was discovered.

Making her exit of the mall, she walked back to the Palace. In her time she had more or less learnt her way around Geneva.

Going around, taking stuff needed for survival on a planet with zero population. Now Miko knows how Wall-E must have felt.

* * *

**8th November 2012.**

**Pregny-Chambésy, north of Geneva.**

Jack passed his hand over his sweaty brow. Had he known agriculture could be such a sweaty labour, even in this moist and cool weather, he would have appreciated the hardships of the poorest of farmers a lot more.

He was now digging and preparing the soil for winter-grown vegetables. Thankfully, these farms already has a good supplement of grown food. Jack thought it to be wise to start growing their own food, the sooner the better. He may have never learnt much of agriculture, save for the very little he caught from Old Jeffrey, but Raf had pulled many files about that before the Internet collapses.

Taking a short-lived break, Jack examined his hands, now sprouting small callouses. He hoped Miko would soon find a pair of gloves like he had asked. That would come in handy, no pun intended.

He picked up the hoe and returned to work. The one upside was, he liked this cool climate better than the heat of Jasper, Nevada.

The sound of military jets perked him up. He looked to the cloudy sky to see a blocky shape approaching. Though he had only seen it twice, and it was still far away, Jack recognized the Jackhammer, Wheeljack's ship. And if the explosion-maniac Wrecker was here, so was…

"Optimus!"

He dropped his work and broke into a run in spite of his fatigue. The ship was landing on the courtyard of the Palace of Nations.

"Jack!" he turned to see Arcee coming to a stop on his way. Jack hopped onto her and they drove to the courtyard of the palace.

"Is Optimus really back?"

"And he brought extra company." she added, which Jack assumed to be Wheeljack.

When they arrived at the destined spot, there were two ships filling up most of the space. Besides the Jackhammer was another flatter vessel, with the appearing of a smooth brick with two heavy jet boosters on the sides.

Optimus was there with Wheeljack and all of Team Prime gathered. A new unknown mech was present as well, earning a sideways scowl from Wheeljack. The other 'Bots were just baffled by the stranger's presence, who stood straight and rigid. This new mech was just as imposing as Optimus, and with a striking similarity. Jack remembered the 'Con brothers Skyquake and Dreadwing, and wondered if this unknown Autobot couldn't be Optimus' brother.

Prime had never told anyone that he had a brother, but then again there were a lot of thing Optimus didn't tell them.

"To all among us who do not know," Optimus meant that for the children. "meet Ultra Magnus, my second-in-command during the War for Cybertron. A brave and loyal soldier."

"Sir." Ultra Magnus saluted. The other 'Bots replied curtly, save for Wheeljack who crossed his arms and turned away, which the Optimus look-alike frowned at. He gave the whole team a quick, discreet look, stopping only when he saw the humans. His expression turned sourer.

"Welcome to Team Prime." Optimus saluted. "Now, if you would relay your story to our comrades."

"My story is that of all Autobots since the Great Exodus. I wandered the spaceways in search of others, reuniting with some, often only to see them fall at the hands of the Decepticons.

"Recently, I detected a massive energy burst originating from Cybertron to this planet. Where, rumor has it, Optimus Prime himself was leading a fight against Megatron.

"Upon my arrival, I became...puzzled over what I came across, as this planet was said to be a homeworld of organics.

"My scanners detected two Autobot life signals,..."

"And that's how we crossed mugs on our way here, end of story." Wheeljack finished, winning an icy glare from Magnus. The second-in-command turned a heavy frown to the humans and Optimus answered the silent question:

"The humans are our allies, Jack, Miko and Rafael." Optimus didn't elaborate.

"We are revealed to the dominant species of this planet?" Magnus' question brought out the still fresh emotional wounds. Optimus put a hand on the lieutenant's shoulder and said in the mournful whisper:

"A story for another time." Magnus was tactful enough to do as his leader suggested and let the matter rest. Optimus addressed the whole team:

"Wheeljack and I infiltrated the Decepticon derelict Harbinger. With Wheeljack's technical expertise, we have successfullydismantled and brought with us all the available equipment on the ship. Including a still operational groundbridge."

"Ah, thank the AllSpark for that!" Ratchet showed true joy for once since they arrived on Geneva. "Now we may just turn this into an actual base of operations."

"Even so, old friend, we still have many trials ahead of us. Nonetheless, we bear more good tidings. Ultra Magnus' tells me he is not the only Autobot to have sensed the Omega beam and traced it back here."

Smokescreen stepped forward. "Hold on, are you saying that…"

"More Autobots are coming, soldier." Magnus nodded. "But unfortunately, some Decepticons are also on their way here. They too detected the this Omega beam."

The prospect of more enemies was discouraging, even if allies were soon to arrive, too.

Earth was now a second Cybertron, and scores of Autobots and Decepticons would soon arrive to fight over it. Jack felt a foreboding feeling up his spine.

* * *

This chapter has a handful of quotes taken from **Winston Churchill**, an important, inspirational British figure of **World War II**.

The farms **Pregny-Chambésy** are not cyberformed because the kids will need a source of food. Their lives are about to get much harsher, yeah, but its better than being dead. As for the people of Geneva...they're all dead because when the cyberforming began, they panicked and ran away into the areas that would be cyberformed. Yeah, it's a dumb reason but I don't wanna introduce more humans just yet.

Next chapter, Megatron begins to unveil his next plan.


	4. First Steps

**Wonderfull Dreams:** atmosphere is now 'still', you understand? The chemical processes which it interacted with the ocean and the land are not wrecked. So the atmosphere maintains itself as it was - that is **O2** and **H2**. On land, in the few pockets of old Earth, there are still more plants than animals(humans included). Even so, it will take many, many decades for all the oxygen breathers to exhaust all the O2.

2\. Jack can get water from the lake, but he won't need much water, actually. See number 4.

3\. There's no medicine, which will mean a higher chance of premature death.

4\. There is no rain, except perhaps on the largest earth-pockets but Geneva is too small of a pocket for that. Instead, the weather is kinda foggy on the coolest areas. Geneva is a cool and moist place.

**LuisJM**: This sounds kinda lame, but the cyberformation cause navigation systems to go crazy. Airplanes, jets, choppers all crash landed. Those who ejected with parachutes survived, but those people are now isolated into metal territory with no food or water. Too bad.

**geo hikari the 2nd**: I don't understand most of what you said, but Nemesis Prime had been dismantled by the military when they took custody of it.

**Kaleia:** For guessing the reason behind the date right, you won the right for spoilers, but I had no way to contact you. Please, get an account. Don't be so harsh on Miko, her teasing Jack is just her way of saying 'I care about you, friend'. BTW, if you hated Megatron before, then you're gonna love this first scene.

* * *

**9th November 2012.**

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Cybertronians didn't have a sense of smell like humans. While their sensors could pick up a great variety of odors, they couldn't feel the smell as good or bad. Their processors simply reported what molecules of smell were around.

That was why when Megatron passed by the great plasma furnaces at the deep bottom of Ristvak'baen, his processor registered the heavy odor of slag and molten metal. It had been a long time since he had this view. Since the great industries of Kaon went offline after Cybertron died.

Megatron swatted the memories of his home-city away. Cybertron was the dead past; this new planet was the future.

The warlord walked ominously by the labouring Vehicons, loosely inspecting the work. He was more like ensuring his dominance than actually inspecting anything. These furnaces were used to recycle alloys, to make materials for a line of weapons they would soon start mass-producing. Though the fusion cannons were formidable, Megatron wanted Ristvak'baen well supplied and able to survive any siege.

"Lord Megatron," the lead worker bowed. "We have finished shipping all the material from Jasper but we're still no close to reach maximum production."

"Then send a flying squadron to the nearest location and collect all the samples you need." the tyrant gruffed impatiently. Did he had to plainly give _every order_ to these dim-witted processor drones?

The samples themselves, the metals being recycled, were nothing more than the once inhabitants of this planet. Through an ironic twist of fate, Knock Out had discovered the metal that had once been organic matter was more malleable and more resilient than other alloys. Curious.

"Humans, resilient." he muttered. Humans had been defeated, thus it was perfectly fair their remains to be used by the victor as he pleased. As it usually happened in the arenas of the Pits of Kaon. Often in deathmatches, the winning gladiator would take a piece of the defeated one's armor. Megatron hadn't collected much; usually his opponents were shredded to pieces too insignificant to collect.

And now the defeated humans would fuel the Decepticons' war effort to finally eradicate the Autobots.

Out of the corner of his optic, Megatron spotted a cart filled with this pygmy statues heading to a furnace. He wouldn't have paid a second thought if he hadn't recognized one of the myriads of faces. Megatron never forgets a face, not even that of a human.

"Halt!" he ordered as he approached the Vehicon pushing the cart. The drone went rigid, fearing the wrath of his leader for a possible mistake on his part, but Megatron paid him no attention. He picked up a statue on the surface of the cart and examined it.

June Darby, the human femme medic who nursed the so-called 'honorary Prime'.

Megatron could have chuckled at the irony. When he had first seen the female it was when Optimus required his help to defeat Unicron, who was awakening from beneath this planet. He remembered she came running to stop the tiniest of the vermins, the child he had attempted to snuff just to pass the time.

The female had glared at Megatron and showed no fear. At the time, he had been disappointed by that. Now, in death, the woman's final expression was that of fear and despair. Megatron smirked; it was truly an irony that the vermin would show fear in his presence only when she was dead.

He noted the drone was still there, stupefied.

"Quit standing there and return to work!" Megatron grunted and crushed June Darby out of malevolent boredom.

* * *

**Jardin Anglais, Geneva, Autobot City.**

On the other side of the world, the Autobots practiced a similar activity but also stark contrary.

"Alpha Trion once said 'the Universe describes itself in many echoes, most of which are of pain and sorrow'. Today, many more pained and sorrowful voices join those echoes." Optimus Prime recited solemnly.

For the whole day, the Autobots had thoroughly collected every statue of every cyberformed citizen of Geneva and put them together respectfully at the Jardin Anglais, on a large round platform suspended above a cauldron of plasma. This was a traditional Cybertronian funeral, as the metal statues would be completely incinerated.

From a distance, Jack, Raf and Miko observed. The elder was in a sour mood, but also thankful and pleased. He was pleased that Geneva would no longer be a metallic Pompeii with the cyberformed victims all around. Thankful that the caring Prime had thought of this way to pay their respects to at least a tiny portion of humanity. The sour mood was because he and his friends could not extend the same courtesy to their families. Instead they were doing it for a city of strangers. Innocent victims yes, but still strangers.

"We carry them on our Sparks as the victims of our conflict, and our actions." Optimus sighed, a part of him guilty not to have stopped the Omega Lock sooner. "As it is our custom, we remember those who have fallen, be they Autobot, Decepticon or Human."

Optimus slowly pulled the lever and the platform dropped slowly into the blazing liquid. The statues were one by one consumed by fire and became one with it.

"'Till all are one."

The Autobots watched with a varied demeanours. Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Smokescreen were mourning with lowered gazes, occasionally turning concerned glances to the children. Ratchet and Ultra Magnus kept a respectful more stoic look, as veterans who had seen too many innocents perish and had grown melancholically accustomed to the tragedy. Wheeljack was part of this group somewhat, though his expression indicated anger at the injustice. Optimus was ever the stoic in face and voice, but the mourning was heavy in his Spark. He too granted a few sideways looks to the children.

As for the kids themselves, they didn't cry. They had ran out of tears by now. But they hadn't ran out of grief, as the Prime could discern.

After the ceremonial funeral, Optimus decided to mount a small expedition and informed Ultra Magnus:

"Ratchet and I will go to the border of the Mediterranean Sea to evaluate the chances of building an energon refinery. Meanwhile, you will be in command of our base."

"Understood, sir." Ultra Magnus nodded. His tone was crisp, Optimus had known his second-in-command for too long to know when something was bothering him.

"Is something wrong, Magnus?"

"Permission to speak free and bluntly, sir?" Optimus nodded and Magnus exhaled. "I just wanted to voice that...these circumstances are hardly what I imagined I would find my fellow Autobots."

"This is no Cybertron, old friend."

"I am aware of that, sir. I just have to say, and forgive me for the offense, but I believe the decision of having taken the children under guard may have been a mistake." Ultra Magnus knew he was criticizing Optimus' judgement. He also knew the Prime was lenient and never condoned others for disagreeing with his calls. "If our soldiers hadn't gotten attached to them, the Decepticons would have never used them as leverage and this tragedy wouldn't have befallen an innocent race."

Ultra Magnus was stern and to an extent, inflexible, but he was not callous. He truly regretted the destruction of a species whose only crime was being at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

But if the children hadn't been aligned with the Autobots, if Optimus had kept his followers completely disconnected from the natives, they would have never become an element on this war.

"Yes," Optimus lowered his gaze. "for some time I too questioned my decision every time the children were placed in harm's way. But the Decepticons had mistakenly associated them with us. They were already in peril."

Optimus looked over the children who were exchanging words with their guardians before returning to their chores.

"In time we have formed more than just bonds of friendship with them. Team Prime has become a family. And we have learnt our friends may be small but there's more to them than meets the eye."

* * *

**Square des Alpes, Geneva.**

While Optimus and Ratchet were gone, Rafael had nothing to do so he wandered around the city, but never too far off from the Palace. Miko, Jack and Bee were still worried about him and insisted to keep him close by. He managed to quell their concerns, saying he would just go for a walk.

With Geneva cleansed of cyberformed corpses, the city looked more pleasant for a stroll. And peaceful due to the eeriequietness.

Raf's nerves went up when the sound of metal knocking metal assaulted him. He looked around to find no one and no 'Bot. He shrugged it off and continued on his way. Then the sound echoed again:

"Who's there? Is it you, Bee?" he spoke with a tiny note of fear.

No answer. Instead he heard a new different sound. It appeared to be a dentist's drill. He recognized the dreaded sound from the times he had to go to the dentist. Cautiously, Rafael walked towards the source - a small alley on the other side of the street. To his utter surprise, the drill-like sound was a scraplet digging through a wall.

The vermin stopped on his meal to look at the boy like a curious cat and returned to its meal. Remembering the last encounter with this creature and the pain they caused Bumblebee, Raf picked up a bar lying around and beat down the metal eater.

"Take that!" the scraplet was rendered to a crushed tin can but the sound of drilling continued. Raf looked behind him to see another one. The boy held the bar high for another strike and this scraplet leaped at him to defend itself. Startled, Raf made a bad hit and the creature was only knocked in stasis and rolled on the ground.

"That was close." the scraplet would have drilled through his face hadn't Raf struck it. He walked to the metal eater intent on crushing it before it awakens. He held the bar up for the strike and halted.

A thought stopped him. As he recollected, the 'Bots are afraid of scraplets, and they're the same species as the 'Cons. In conclusion, "_Naturally, the 'Cons should also be afraid of scraplets._"

Rafael dropped the bar, his train of thought picking up speed. He recalled the time when he ran to Megatron without thinking, after he had been infected with Dark Energon by the same. Megatron didn't fear him, nor any other human for that matter. He sees humans as pests, parasites..._scraplets_.

But Megatron is a Cybertronian, the natural prey of scraplets.

Instead of destroying the second scraplet, Raf takes it with him. Just in case, he brings the remains of the dead one too.

* * *

**15th January 2013 (two months later).**

**New Kaon (formerly New York), Decepticon capital.**

Atop the cyberformed Statue of Liberty, Megatron beheld the city.

Over the last two months since Humanity was destroyed, the Decepticons began constructing a handful of energon refineries in the ghost cities on the shores of North America. Megatron, never one to underestimate Optimus Prime, knew his hated foes were doing the same on whatever continent they were hiding. Though their progress should be slower, since the Decepticons possess a much greater number of manpower.

New Kaon - as he had dubbed the once known as 'New York' - was the only of these ghost cities that supported a heavy Decepticon presence. The refineries on Miami, New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and others were either fully automated or overseen by a single lonely drone. That of New Kaon was the first and largest. It alone had tripled their energon stockpile.

Megatron looked around the empty buildings. All had been cyberformed into the architecture of his race but were still largely unused. He smirked at the vision of a future where every city like this would be filled with warriors ready to charge on his command.

"New Kaon." he tasted the name. He transformed and descended into the ground, changing back into robot mode. Starscream approached and Megatron dropped his pleased face to one of menacing authority.

"Starscream, you are to remain in charge of this city for the next stellar cycle." that's a whole Earth year. "Meanwhile, I will be away on a personal mission with Soundwave."

"Yes, my liege!" Starscream smiled with glee. Finally his master was giving him a chance to prove his worth. "You can trust my leadership. You will find New Kaon exactly as you left it."

Megatron quirked an eyebrow, with a trace of amusement. "Oh, no dear Starscream. I'm not entitling you warden. I want you to transform New Kaon into something profitable. Begin monitoring the construction of munitions and weapon factories and fortresses."

Soundwave approached them, his vizor showing a map of the galaxy with Decepticon signals all over. Megatron pointed at the map with a claw-like digit.

"We are close to make contact with more of our scattered Decepticon brethren and bring them to this world. Once they arrive, a bigger seat of power than Ristvak'baen shall be required."

"Understood, my liege. I will not disappoint you."

"See that you don't." he muttered.

Soundwave opened a bridge and Megatron transformed and flew into, the spymaster followed suit before the vortex closed.

Starscream looked over the city on the not-so-distant shore, already making plans to please his master. He looked up to the giant statue of some human femme with a crown and a torch. His face twisted with distaste

"Hmph...I know of a perfect way to change that."

* * *

**Gobi Desert, Mongolia.**

One thing that Earth now has but Cybertron never possessed were 'metal dunes'. As far as Megatron could observe, the Omega Lock had turned mountains of sand into mountains of grains of varied metals. It made each dune a heterogeneous mix of colorful dots.

"_It makes this badland look somewhat attractive._" Megatron admitted mentally. Even he could appreciate a view that didn't involve war. He turned to his chief of communications, shifting his mind back to business. "Soundwave, have you picked up the signal?"

Soundwave nodded slowly.

"Guide us there." Megatron allowed him to take off first and followed.

The journey would still take a few cycles and the warlord distracted himself with thoughts of his strategy. Eventhough he now had the fusion cannons protecting Ristvak'baen from any threat, Optimus still held the advantage while he yielded the Star Saber. With the Forge gone and the Dark Star Saber destroyed, Megatron had been pondering on a strategy to remove the blasted blade.

Now he and Soundwave had gone to this desert to bring a key player into that strategy.

They landed on the base of a mountain and Soundwave indicated a large rock, about the size of Megatron himself. This was the place. Without preambles, he fired a powerful bolt of his fusion cannon and reduced the rock to rubbled. When the dust settled down, there was a stasis capsule buried in the mountain, previously concealed by the rock.

The was a capsule of a Sleeper, one of the Decepticons Megatron had sent to this planet in slumber eons ago, like the late Skyquake.

"Soundwave." he looked back to the ever-loyal TIC, who opened a bridge to a hidden vault on Ristvak'baen. Six Vehicons emerged and Soundwave had them carry the capsule to the fortress. When they were gone, Megatron whispered to Soundwave.

"Make sure no one knows of our most recent acquisition. Terminate the drones when they have fulfilled the task, if you deem it necessary. Even Starscream will be none the wiser about it." it was true that Starscream had finally learnt his place, but his incompetence could allow the information to leak into the Autobots.

Again, Soundwave's response was a curt nod. Then they both crossed the vortex to Ristvak'baen.

This Sleeper in question had been a volunteer for one of the late Shockwave's long abandoned experiments. And now Megatron required this unordinary Cybertronian's artificial talent. Even the Star Saber wouldn't save Optimus Prime when Megatron unleashed the Sleeper on him.

* * *

**18th January 2013.**

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ.**

"Test 49. Conclusion: plastic doesn't agree with scraplets." Raf announced as he noted the result of the experiment, on his room. He rubbedhis tired eyes with tired fingers.

For over two months he has been studying and experimenting on the scraplet, which was now kept in a box of plastic Miko had salvaged. The scraplet had drilled through a box of wood he was originally put him, so then Raf changed him to one of plastic which the creature didn't dare touch.

During Teste 49, Raf gave the scraplet a fist-sized chunk of crunched metal with pieces of plastic hidden inside. The creature ate it, and for a moment all seemed okay, until it puked all the grinded metal and plastic. Next it fell into stasis.

At least now he knew why the scraplet didn't drill through plastic.

The cybertronian-sized door swang open and Ratchet came in. He frowned in disgust at the sight of the knocked out vermin and addressed Rafael.

"It's well over midnight now, Rafael. It would be wise for you go to recharge."

"I'm fine." at that moment, he couldn't avoid a yamn much to his own displeasure. "I just feel I'm close to it."

"Rafael," Ratchet's irritation was notorious. "with the simple diet you have now, your body can no longer afford long nights. I strongly suggest you go to bed, unless you want me to force you into recharge."

"I haven't been overworking, okay?" Rafael turned to him.

"Bumblebee disagrees. He says it's third time this week and that you won't listen to his reason. He and I are concerned for your well-being."

Raf facepalmed and retorted exasperated. "Look, I just need to understand how the scraplets operate. Then I'll have all the time to rest."

Speaking of the devil, the scraplet emerged from stasis and went mad when he spotted Ratchet. The medic staggered back at the creature's vain attempts to get out of his prison and feast upon the 'Bot. Rafael inserted a handful of metal into the feeding box of the creature and the scraplet went for the meal. That put the medic slightly more at ease.

"Rafael, this idea of harnessing the instant metal-consumption abilities of scraplets is doomed to failure. A grim failure." he emphatized.

"How do you know? It's not like any Cybertronian has ever tried."

Ratchet sighed. "Actually, one has. Shockwave."

"The Decepticon scientist who died chasing Arcee and her old partner?" the ninja-scout had told that story to Miko, who in turn relayed it to Jack and Raf.

"And thank Primus for that. Shockwave was the head of warfare science for Megatron. He made scores of despicable experiments to breed super-soldiers and weapons of mass-destruction. One of such was Project Chompazoid; an attempt to create an army of modified Cybertronians who possessed the scraplets insatiable hunger for metal.

"Of these Chompazoids, only one was marginally a success and the cybernetically-enhanced Decepticon attained a beastial appearance. This super-soldier - whose name I do not recollect - devoured the entire city of Nuon, I hear. Megatron was left unpleased, since he intended to conquer the city, not to destroy it."

"A 'Con ate a whole city?!"

"I wasn't present, but the survivors shouted the most mad stories." Ratchet shook his head. "Now you see, these are things you should not tamper with."

Raf was about to protest when the scraplet began making a cough-like strange noise. The creature kept his saw mouth wide open, like trying to expel something it choke on.

"What's wrong with it?" Ratchet asked without a care, merely curiosity.

"I fed it some plastic, but he had already spat it all back out."

The scraplet gorged something out, but it was no plastic. It was a bulbous piece of perfectly polished metal. The bulb was half the size of the scraplet and so it remained until it began to move in timid, shaky reflexes. The bulb extended some tiny legs and opened two large purple opaque optics. It was another scraplet!

"He...just spat another." Rafael was agape.

"By the AllSpark, so that's how these things reproduce." Ratchet's fascination turned to horror when the scraplets, parent and newborn, hissed their saw-blade jaws at him.

"Wait, so you didn't know about this?"

"Well," Ratchet made a groan and a shrug. "Most of our science and knowledge was lost during the war. The files about procreation of pests was banal information compared to what was more important to save."

Raf decided to call it a night, much to Ratchet's comfort. He covered the plastic box with a thick blanket and the scraplets fell silent and still. Rafael had previously discovered scraplets got their energy from light, be it sunlight or artificial.

Climbing to his bed, Rafael remembered the looks of ravenous hunger the scraplets had. All they could eat is metal, and all metal they ate…

Hold on! Raf sat up, startled with enlightenment. The scraplets don't eat _all_ metal, otherwise those two would have eaten each other when they realized they couldn't get to Ratchet. For all their appetite for alloys, scraplets are not cannibals. Could it be…

* * *

**20th February 2013.**

"Optimus," Ratchet called out from his station. "I'm detecting a Decepticon transmission. And it barely shielded!"

This immediately caught the whole Team's attention. For their enemy's communications to be unprotected, Soundwave must be turning sloppy.

Ratchet typed furiously, easily breaking the code and soon the Autobots heard the exchange between two Vehicons.

VEHICON #1: ._..Lord Megatron demands a base to be planted on the city of the following coordinates: __38°42′25.11″N 9°8′7.75″W__. Once there, we will begin the rapid construction of an outpost to keep track of activity on that continent._

VEHICON #2: _Understood, chief. Hopefully that blasted Prime has lost that Star Saber. That's the only thing that can slice that gun._

VEHICON #1: _Quiet, you talk too much, Steve! Over and out._

"Ratchet." Optimus' command was all too clear and the medic verified the location.

"The coordinates are of a city called Lisboa, Portugal, a nation on the western edge of Europe."

"But that's the continent where we are." Smokescreen voiced with concern. "You think they know we're here?"

"Unlikely, otherwise Megatron would make a much more aggressive occupation of this territory." Optimus dismissed.

"Nonetheless, these news are worrisome. If the Decepticons gain a foothold in this continent, no matter how many miles stand between them and us, they will eventually find us again. Autobots, we must destroy that base before it becomes operational."

And so the 'Bots prepared for battle, taking the top notch guns Ultra Magnus had brought on his ship while Optimus carried the Star Saber.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

On Soundwave's office, Megatron was watching patiently as Soundwave uploaded a false communication with very feeble protection.

VEHICON #1: ._..Lord Megatron demands a base to be planted on the city of the following coordinates: __38°42′25.11″N 9°8′7.75″W__. Once there, we will begin the rapid construction of an outpost to keep track of activity on that continent._

VEHICON #2: _Yes, chief. Hopefully that blasted Prime has lost that Star Saber. That's the only thing that can slice that gun._

VEHICON #1: _Quiet, you talk too much, Steve! Over and out._

"Is it done?" Soundwave nodded. "Excellent, Soundwave. The Autobots have certainly heard that. They'll think the forces on that city are great and well armed, thus nothing short of the Star Saber can stop them. This ruse will lure Optimus out."

Megatron turned to a platoon of drones, each pushing a thick, scan-proof container that floated with gravitic lifters.

"Are the containers secured?" he asked the chief drone.

"Yes, my Lord. We ran thorough scans on them. The Dark Energon inside is undetectable."

"Good, the Autobots won't know its a trap until too late." Megatron turned to yet another occupant in the room. One much larger than Megatron himself and walked on all fours. This Cybertronian didn't have an anthropomorphic template.

"Are you aware of your mission, Sleeper?"

The Sleeper chuckled. "I know my mission all too well, Boss-Con. Pumping up and bulking out!"

"Then go Underbite."

Soundwave opened a bridge to Lisboa, Portugal and Underbite went with the drones carrying the concealed Dark Energon.

* * *

I chose **Lisboa, Portugal **because: a) it's my nation's capital; b) it's geographically useful for the 'Cons to begin spreading over Europe.

And **Kaleia**, don't be harsh on **Ultra Magnus**. In a way, he would have sacrificed the children to protect his world and Earth as well. I'm trying to make him a more militarist and anti-social Optimus, but I'm not demonizing him or making him callous.


	5. Hunger

**LuisJM** and **Negima Uzumaki:** Megatron sees humans as nothing more than we do leaf blight. Why would he ever take one as a trophy? Plus, him crushing June's statue was a bit of an 'oops' accident. But he just shrugged it off.

**Queen of the Beasts** and **Kaleia**: I'm sorry to tell you I have no plans for more RID 2015 characters. First of all, I don't like the animal-themed 'Cons that much, because they make no sense. The Alchemor crashed on Earth alright, but the prisoners had never been there before. So how come their forms are animal-shaped? Makes no sense. Plus, Springload, Quillfire and others acted just stupid. Why would Megatron ever hire a delusional treasure hunter, a brainless anarchist, a kleptomaniacal bird and other morons. And those who I'm planning to bring - like Sideswipe, Jazz and Grimlock - are from the WFC/FOC games. And chronologically, Strongarm emerged from the Well of AllSparks _after_ the war.

A final note, I put deleted scenes on **Turn Off the Switch**.

* * *

**20th February 2013**

**Lisboa, Portugal.**

The Autobots arrived onto the city by the shore of a great estuary of energon, soon to be swallowed by the sea. Only Optimus didn't gape at the vastness of the raw life fuel. Mainly for two reasons: because he is stoic and also for he had seen the Mediterranean Sea of energon when he went with Ratchet to set up a refinery

"By the AllSpark!" Bulkhead's lower jaw fell. "Never saw that much energon."

"Hate to hand it to the 'Cons, but they had the right idea on settling here." Wheeljack commented, also casting an optic to a fortification - once known as Belém Tower - on the shore of the estuary. The infrastructure seemed to have been built by the native humans to be part of a defensive system at the mouth of the river. Now it was cyberformed into 'bot-size.

"Soldiers, focus." Ultra Magnus too had been amazed by the river and ocean of energon but recovered almost immediately. They were on a mission. Sightseeing was an indulgence that they could not afford.

The Wreckers stood attend, Bulkhead doing a more respectful 'Yes, sir' than Wheeljack.

Arcee aimed her blasters, looking out for enemies as they moved along. She couldn't disagree with Wheeljack, as she whispered to Optimus.

"This looks like a good place for an outpost. We could use one."

The Prime didn't respond. His optics occasionally looked at the cyberformed humans all around. The 'Bots did a respectful effort not to step on any of the statues.

"_I am picking up a massive surge of energy and Decepticon signal about__2 kilometers north from your location._" Ratchet commed.

"Can you identify the energy?"

"_No. It appears to be shielded, somehow._"

"Autobots, be prepared."

* * *

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ.**

Rafael was in his makeshift laboratory. Now it housed a big freezing stasis cage. Rafael was examining the original scraplet he had, now completely dismantled.

He had deduced that scraplets multiplied by eating and regurgitating offspring. This method allowed a scraplet to form an entire hive. On these hives, the original scraplet antecessor is the Queen who never goes on the first waves, when the hive mobilizes to the hunt. The hive follows the commands of the Queen to surround and keep 'her' safe.

It was the same kind of psychic link between Airachnid and the Insecticons, according to Ratchet. The medic had been quite helpful in helping Raf with his experiments, in the past few months.

"The processor of the scraplet Queen is different." he had the processor of said Queen plugged to his laptop. These days when he's alone tinkering, Raf developed the habit of thinking aloud. "When a lone scraplet begins creating a hive, it's processor metamorphs into a Queen's, to maintain telepathic control over the others. Maybe that's…"

"Hey, dude!" Miko barged in, the tremor collapsed a piece of tech by the door.

"Miko! I needed that." Raf also picked up other people's habits.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, seemingly shocked with his seclusion. "The 'Bots are all out on the field."

"They're out? All of them?" Raf was surprised to hear that, as there had been no major mission since they settled on Geneva.

"Yep, the 'Cons finally showed their ugly mugs on this side of the planet." she hissed at their name with distaste.

Without hesitating, Raf ditched his work and half-paced, half-ran after her to the Control Room where Jack was already standing by the space provided for humans.

Ratchet was talking to Optimus:

"I am picking up a massive surge of energy and Decepticon signal about 2kilometers north from your location."

"_Can you identify the energy?"_

"No. It appears to be shielded, somehow."

The children looked at a big purple mass on the screen and the Autobot signals a bit south from it.

"What is that? The whole Decepticon army?" Jack asked.

"Not quite." Ratchet shook his head. "Sensors indicate only a handful of Decepticons are there. The energy is something they are probably guarding. Though like I said, it's heavily shielded that I cannot tell _what_ it is."

"You guys said the 'Cons were building something big there. Maybe it's another huge tower where they can nuke us from? They said only the Star Saber thingy could take it down." Miko suggested which earned a suspicious look from Ratchet.

"How do you know all of that? I don't recall briefing you on this mission."

"I overheard the whole thing before Bulk and the others took off." she shrugged. Ratchet was annoyed at Miko's eavesdropping. Then again, it was a feat to have not heard Miko's presence if so.

* * *

**Lisboa**.

The Autobots were approaching their target. It was clear this wasn't the most urbanized part of the city, as the buildings, even cyberformed, were short and simple. This allowed them a long-range sight, but there were also less places to hide. Hence they used stealth at their maximum, something at which Arcee and Bumblebee excelled and Bulkhead didn't.

Yet until now there had been no guards, no patrols, nor even Laserbeak watching and recording from above. It troubled Optimus.

"Autobots, halt." the troops stopped. "Bumblebee, you and I shall scout ahead. The rest of you stay here with Ultra Magnus and be prepared to fight or retreat at any moment's notice."

"Sir, may I ask why?" the second-in-command questioned.

"I fear what is happening here may not be as it seems. Await for me and Bumblebee to give you the all clear signal." leaving no room for anything else to be said, Optimus continued with the loyal scout beside him.

This was a decision that didn't please the other 'Bots. Wheeljack didn't like staying behind like a rookie. Ultra Magnus and Arcee weren't keen to leave the commanding office they respect move into enemy territory without them.

"**Optimus, you really think the information we got might have been phony?**" the scout beeped quietly.

"I do, Bumblebee. Whether it was by accident or intentional that we caught wind of the Decepticons' presence here, I cannot say."

Without warning, the ground trembled and a thundering sound was heard from where the other Autobots were. They turned around to see their comrades falling into a large, round cracked hole that just tore-opened beneath their peeds.

They ran to the rescue but something crawled out of the hole. Walking on all fours, with a purple chassis and hints of black and gray, stood a 'Con about half the size of the Chrysler Building. This monster was practically a mountain of metal muscle, with a large head and broad bladed jaws. Though Bumblebee didn't recognized the monster, Optimus did.

"Ah! Peekaboo, Autobots!" snarled Underbite, the chompazoid who increases his strength and size by devouring cybertronian metal. Evaluating his size, one could tell he sated himself by digging the hole. "You 'Bots ever heard of me? Name's Underbite, the big, bad and ruggedly handsome 'Con who hate Nuon City!"

The 'Bot's response to the bragging was shooting at the bragger. They assumed that his large size would reduce Underbite's speed. They guessed wrong. With a leap, the quadruped launched himself into the air and landed where they were. Bee and Optimus had to go separate ways to avoid a crushing death. The ground trembled with his landing.

"How did you like that, uh!"

"**Nice one, fat.**" Bumblebee mocked. Big mistake!

"Fat! FAT!" Underbite gave him a death glare, unfazed by the multiple rounds the scout kept shooting at him. "This isn't fat, pipsqueak! It's muscle!"

With fury, Underbite slapped Bumblebee away and the scout fell down the hole.

"Bumblebee!" Optimus ran to help his soldiers, but Underbite got in his way.

"You're not going anywhere, Big Red 'n Blue! Always wanted to know what Prime tastes like." if Underbite had a tongue, he would have licked his jaws.

Optimus quickly pondered his situation. He needed to rescue his comrades as soon as possible. His blasters were having no effect on Underbite. That left only one option. He reached to his back and pulled out the Star Saber.

"Let's rumble!" Underbite closed his mandibleson a house beside him and swallowed it whole. Every line in his body emitted a faint glow as his form grew larger. Even an fully-grown apex Predacon wouldn't dare challenge him. But the last Prime would.

* * *

"_Ultra Magnus, are you alright?_" Ratchet asked through the comm-link.

"Affirmative, doctor. Though we might be in a bit of a scrapheap." Ultra Magnus was admired his voice could be heard over the shrilling shrieks of the Insecticons.

When the ground collapsed beneath them, they landed on a chamber over fifty feet deep, filled with Insecticons. Now the 'Bot's were fighting for their lives. It was fortunate they had brought a good amount of firepower, courtesy of Ultra Magnus. Otherwise they would probably no longer have any lives to fight for.

One of the bugs engaged Ultra Magnus and was blasted by the commander's large cannon. But another one used that as a distraction to attack him from behind. Or would have hadn't Bumblebee landed on top of it and rendered it in stasis.

"**Thanks a lot!**" he thanked the Insecticon and joined Smokescreen, blasting enemies back and forth.

"You're late, Bee. What took you so long?" the Elite Guard 'Bot asked playfully.

"**Had to drop on an ugly bug.**" the scout chuckled at his own joke. If he wasn't in the middle of a battle, Ultra Magnus would have sighed at the young warriors' antics.

* * *

Optimus drew an arch with the ancient blade, slashing an arch of energy. Underbite took the hit, but unlike a normal enemy, it didn't render him to his molecular components. He was too big and too hardy due to all the metal he feasted on. Though the force of the impact did shove him away.

"Wow! Okay, that actually hurt, I'll give ya that." Underbite proceeded to eat another small house, which propelled his regeneration. "Much better."

Optimus knew this was not working. Every time he landed a blow on his enemy, he would just devour the metal around to heal his wounds and revive his stamina. Optimus needed a new approach to remove Underbite and rescue his Autobots.

"Ratchet, how fare the others?"

"_Holding their own, for now._" that was relieving to hear, but he should not delay himself.

Underbite took an aggressive step and lunged forward, mouth wide open. He was going to swallow Optimus whole! But the last Prime was better than that. He jumped and landed atop of Underbite's head. He drowned the Star Saber on the nape of the chompazoid's neck.

"Srap this!" he shook Optimus off, energon leaking from his wound. "I'm out of here."

The chompazoid transformed into a cybertronian car and left. Optimus sheathed the Star Saber and ran to the hole. Ratchet's urgent voice cut him off:

"Optimus, behind you! The energy mass is moving towards you!"

Sure enough, a squadron of flying Vehicons came on a nosedive to him. Each carried a heavy container that let out that energy. Optimus attempted to make a scan, but the containers were thick enough to prevent anything clear.

The containers opened when the planes were right on top of him. No longer shielded by the tick metal, the energy was now easily identifiable. Optimus didn't require to scan anything, though. He would recognize the purple glowing crystals anywhere.

"Dark Energon!"

"_Optimus, get out of there!_"

Too late. The dark substance poured on him like rain and immediately began leeching off his strength. Optimus attempted to reach the Star Saber, but the weight of the dark substance and its malicious effects were wearing him down. He was on the process of going into stasis.

He faintly noticed the ground was shaking. His gaze lifted to see Underbite had returned, like an Earth dog running for a steak.

"Guess who's back?" the giant stood about ten meter from all the dark matter on top of the Prime. His size allowed Underbite to endure the draining effect for longer than ordinary Cybertronians. His gaze locked onto the sword. "Hey, that's a nice looking appetizer you got there." he made his way to the blade.

"NO!" Optimus groaned.

Underbite threw the sword into the air, mouthed it whole and swallowed.

"Hum...tastes like...Prime."

* * *

**Autobot HQ.**

"Optimus, can you read? OPTIMUS?" Ratchet was practically hysterical, trying to get in contact with all the others with no success. "Ultra Magnus, Arcee, please respond."

Occasional shouts and battle cries came out. Bumblebee's wail made Raf gasp quietly. He looked back to the elevator.

"Jack, I gotta go get something." he whispered to his friend and went for the lift.

"Raf?"

"Scrap!" Ratchet punched the controls and left without explanation to another part of the base.

"Okay, what's this? 'Leaving without telling' day?" Miko snorted exasperated.

* * *

On the laboratory, Raf put on a makeshift helmet, put together from collected parts with an antenna on the front. He went for the stasis capsule and pushed a few buttons.

"Hope this works."

* * *

Back on the Control Room, Ratchet returned first with the Polarity Gauntlet on his left servo. The medic activated the groundbridge and looked at the two present children:

"Tell Rafael to operate the groundbridge and take over communications." he ran into the bridge. It had been a long time since he entered the battlefield. As a field medic, he had seen battle and sometimes partook in it from the rear. But he would always remember the carnage and the violence. Always.

Today he witnesses a new kind of horror: a monster. Bigger than any combiner he could remember, was the enormous chompazoid dragging Optimus away from a pile of Dark Energon and attempting to crush him under a paw.

"Optimus!" Ratchet ran to him, Polarity Gauntlet humming.

"Stand down, Ratchet! Go assist the others." Optimus shouted, stabbing Underbite's paw which allowed him rom enough to escape.

"Optimus, you clearly need more help."

"Go! I gave you an order!" Optimus ran up Underbite's foreleg and hopped on his back.

"Get off of me, pipsqueak Prime!" Underbite jumped, trying to shove Optimus off. The Prime held on tight. If this wasn't a battle, the scene would be remarkably similar to a cowboy rodeo.

Ratchet was split between following orders and following his Spark. Should he obey or help his friend? Be a good soldier or a good friend?

"_While he may have wielded the power of the ancients for only one day, Optimus does not require it to be the mightiest of warriors._"

He was a soldier, he decided. Optimus Prime would never fall to an enemy just because said enemy was ridiculously large. He had faced far worse, from Megatron, to cybonic plague, to the Bringer of Chaos.

Ratch made his way to the edge of the hole and saw all their comrades fighting dental and digit with those savage Insecticons. Activating his relic, Ratchet created a magnetic field around them all to repel the Insecticons.

"Hey, what gives?" Smokescreen shouted when he realized the bugs couldn't touch him or his friends.

"I'm getting you out of there!" Ratchet shouted and tried to lift the magnetized Autobots out of there. Occasionally an Insecticon or two took flight and went for the medic, forcing him to use the relic on the enemies instead, crushing them into balls of mashed metal. Getting the 'Bots out was taking a long time, but at least he could keep them safe and untouchable.

As for Optimus, Underbite jumped and landed on his back, crushing the offending Prime. Optimus laid on a crater, armor dented, several joints broken and leaking energon. Too injured to fight, flee or even move.

"Oh, yeah! Who's the 'Con who eats cities and smashes Primes? That's me, Under-fragging-bite!" he flexed his muscles to show off. "Now, time for that Prime course-meal."

Underbite opened his mouth wide enough to swallow Optimus. The Autobot leader watched through a static-filled vision. This was his end. He would rejoin the AllSpark today.

"NO!" Ratchet cried out from a distance, unable to do anything in time.

Underbite was about to eat him when a multitude of equal sounds shrilled. A human would compare it to an army of dentist drills. But the Autobots knew something else that made that sound: scores of scraplets!

Scraplets flew into the chompazoid's mouth and began to digest the unfortunate Decepticon from the inside out. Ratchet felt a crushing wave of horror and slight pity for him. But concern for his friends took over and he finished pulling all of them out of the hole, after the Insecticons were all finished.

"By the AllSpark." Ultra Magnus sighed at the sight of Underbite thrashing about and roaring in agony.

"Quickly, we have to get to Optimus." Ratchet urged and they ran for their leader.

"Before the scrap-eaters finish with the big goon and go for him." Arcee said. Her gaze turned to something strange on the distance, just half a mile beyond Optimus and gasped. "The kids!"

Bumblebee and Bulkhead stopped on their tracks with the femme, startled to see their charges on the sidelines of the battlefield. Jack and Miko were on the sides of a hunched Rafael. The three 'bots ran for their partners, much to Ultra Magnus' anger:

"Soldiers, where are you going?!"

"Let them go. We rescue Optimus." Ratchet went followed by Smokescreen and Wheeljack. Seeing no other choice, Magnus followed them. His processor was racketingover how could the chain of command on this planet have gotten so twisted and fragmented?

His confusion and anger turned to shock when they encountered their leader. But it wasn't Optimus' state that left them dumbfounded. They had assumed the scraplets would feast on the Prime once they dealt with the chompazoid. But the vermin were just standing there, silent and still, unwilling to drill through any Autobot. There was no sign of Underbite, for obvious reasons.

"Primus, what is happening on this mad planet?" Ultra Magnus vented, unable to keep his frustration bottled up any longer. He, Ratchet, Smokescreen and Wheeljack deployed weapons but the creatures didn't even flinch.

"The Star Saber." Smokescreen pointed at the sword, in the middle of the scraplet army. None of them dared to go get it, wisely. Instead they helped Optimus up and moved him away while the good doctor used the Polarity Gauntlet to bring the sword to them.

"Let's get the scrap out of here." Wheeljack muttered and nobody disagreed.

Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead joined them, each carrying their charge. They all wore expressions is shock and slight terror at the scraplets, especially the green Wrecker. Ultra Magnus noticed now the youngest of them was wearing a strange helmet.

"See? Told ya Raf got it done." the female human shouted, crossing her arms with a smirk of proud accomplishment.

"I still can't believe it." Arcee sighed in awe.

"Alright, Team." Ultra Magnus used every bit of his patience - which honestly wasn't much - to keep himself from shouting. "Can someone kindly explain to me what is happening here?"

"I can." the youngest boy answered in a strained, meek voice. "But please...can we first get back to base? I'm getting a major headache."

* * *

**That night.**

**Autobot HQ.**

Ratchet had had the foresight of bringing a remote control for the groundbridge into battle.

The Star Saber had been left undamaged because of its natural protective barrier.

Rafael got a major headache because he had to constantly contain the scraplets' desire to devour the Autobots.

"He actually did it." Ratchet shook his head. "I told Rafael his experiments to command scraplets would have terrible repercussions."

"If you ask me, Ratchet, Raf would gladly accept a headache for the chance to save Optimus from becoming chompazoid chow." Jack retorted.

The whole Team Prime was in the Control Room, Miko and Jack reporting what had happened while Rafael rested in his room and Optimus lied in a berth.

"Rafael had almost perfected this helmet to control the scraplet hive he had on a stasis capsule." Jack showed the helmet with the antenna. "He said he put it together it out of the parts of the scraplet Queen of the hive."

"So the child had been concealing a scraplet hive inside our HQ." Ultra Magnus made his characteristic frown.

"A scraplet hive that just saved Prime's tailpipe, like Jack said." Wheeljack countered. "Besides we left the scraplets back on Lisboa."

"In the end, I owe Rafael my life." Optimus said. "And I trust Rafael would have taken precautions if the scraplets had escaped his control."

"Yep," Miko nodded. "I told him about some tiny bombs Wheeljack here makes."

"Nice to know people are taking pages from my book**.**" said Wrecker smirked.

"Every time he bred a new scraplet, he installed a bomb on them. I help him with that." Miko smugly said.

Ratchet sighed tiredly. "Well, we have won today. Though next time we would appreciate if you kids have us briefed on your plans."

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Megatron didn't know what he felt most: rage or astonishment. He had just watched the recording on Soundwave's visor of Underbite's demise. Even he himself had to admit death by scraplets was gruesome and unworthy. If he faced his demise, Megatron would rather be molten into slag than eaten alive.

"Soundwave, play it back again. There, freeze frame and zoom in."

Soundwave enhanced the image, which revealed the three human pets. So they had survived, it seemed. Megatron had figured Optimus would have finally abandon those burdens who cost him the restoration of Cybertron. But no, the Prime was too soft at Spark for that.

Focusing back on the present, Megatron saw the smallest of the vermin wearing an helmet made of scrapped parts.

"Did you picked up any signals, anything unusual?"

Soundwave nodded and showed him the data. Megatron's optics slowly widened. "The helmet emitted a signal to the scraplets. It forced them to attack Underbite rather than Optimus?"

Soundwave nodded again, incurring a wrathful snarled from Megatron. Once again, he had been foiled by a worthless human! The maggot who Optimus deemed an 'honorary Prime' had stole the Matrix of Leadership and infiltrated the Nemesis to retrieve data of the Iacon database. The wilful, boisterous female had snuffed Hardshell. And now the worm who occasionally foiled Soundwave in cyberwarfare had converted Underbite into scraplet nourishment.

"Unbelievable!" he punched a wall in fury. He should have crushed those three miniscule pests sooner!

A beeping alert halted his vengeful thoughts. Soundwave detected a Decepticon signal approaching orbit. He immediately established a comm-link to the new arrivals.

"This is Lord Megatron, identify yourselves."

"_Lord Megatron, this Commander Cyclonus of the Obliterator. We rejoice to hear your voice after so many stellar cycles._"

"Rejoice all you wish, Decepticons. I trust you still have the troops you led when you departed on the Great Exodus."

"_Affirmative, my Lord. All battle ready and wishful to follow you again._"

"Good." Megatron smirked. This day hadn't turned out so bad, after all.

* * *

**Underbite**, in my story, can increase his strength _and_ size by eating cybertronian metals. And he wouldn't have really eaten **Optimus**, since Megatron specifically said 'Optimus Prime is his'. But it made the chapter more interesting.

As for **Ultra Magnus**' problems with authority will be solved on the next chapter.


	6. Soldiers of All Sizes

**Gabby M**: You can be sure I have plans for Jack and Miko.

**LuisJM**: I'll have to watch the movie first, though I like your idea. The kids hold a great deal of growing resentment towards Megatron and the 'Cons, though I don't always show it.

**Bio team2**: Yeah, they will. Right on the next chapter if all goes as planned.

**Kaleia**: As I said before, those 'Cons were on Earth for a short time, yet they already had animalistic anthropomorphic forms, which is illogical. As for Grimlock (WFC), he doesn't put the blame on Optimus, not necessarily. He does believe though Optimus is too soft. Which I honestly have to agree a little. Though Optimus had become more ruthless against Megatron since the whole Unicron-fiasco, as Buckethead himself once noted.

* * *

**21st February 2013.**

**New Kaon, Decepticon Capital.**

The spacebridge opened on the newly supplied docking bay of New Kaon, where the LaGuardia Airport of New York used to be. The docking bay stood higher than most buildings, so Megatron had an unobstructed view of the Upper Bay.

One thing that stood out on the modifying metropolis was the statue that posed on an island surrounded by energon. Previously it was a glorifying monument of a human femme wearing a crown and holding a torch high in the air. Starscream had the so-called Statue of Liberty torn down and ordered the immediate construction of a statue of Megatron.

The model of himself was just as tall as its predecessor, blade extended and fusion cannon pointing into the sky. The model also included a mangled Autobot corpse under his crushing foot. The pedestal had large cybertronian hieroglyphs with the motto: 'Peace Through Tyranny'.

Megatron could not contain a vicious grin at the idea. In all fairness, Starscream could make things look pleasing to the optic. Of course the Seeker had done that to make himself look better in his master's view. When he had seen the statue, Megatron afforded his second-in-command a moderate compliment.

Now he watched as the Obliterator made its landing on the bay, enormous grappling hook-like contraptions grasped the ship firmly as it touched the surface. The ship was barely half the volume of the Nemesis, and rather than prongs on the front, it sported two massive gatling cannons.

A ramp extended from the bay doors and two mechs came out. The first one's colors were primarily gray and purple. The helm possessed two long, straight-up, prong-like structures. This Decepticon stood just a head shorter than Megatron, not a small achievement by any chances. As for his colleague, he looked much less impressive. Bulky and muscular, yes, but shorter and a brownish-green and dark blue.

"Lord Megatron." they bowed in perfect unison, like rehearsed.

"Rise, Cyclonus and Onslaught. I trust you have brought your troops anxious for battle."

"Yes, my liege. Onslaught has been drilling his comrades tenaciously ever since we detected your presence on this planet." Commander Cyclonus, the larger 'Con, replied. The other one, Onslaught, was the second-in-command aboard the Obliterator.

"Good. It does my Spark good to know my warriors have not grown soft in spite of my absence." the warlord smirked at that. Back in the War for Cybertron, his reputation was so fearsome, that Megatron's mere presence was enough to inspire his soldiers to die in battle rather than facing his irre.

Onslaught spoke at last, in a curious questioning. "Boss 'Con, if I may ask, we had heard this was some organic planet. Yet it looks just like Cybertron." he casted a look to the city.

Megatron chuckled an answer. "Thanks to a small legacy from the Ancients, we had the opportunity to revive Cybertron. An opportunity that Optimus Prime destroyed, as he would rather keep Cybertron dead than allow it to rightfully fall into our hands. However, we were able to cyberform this world and eradicate the human infestation that plagued it. This is New Kaon, our first of many Decepticon cities."

"I like it." Onslaught grinned, his optics widened with pleasure at the sight, especially the ocean of raw energon, now being pumped into a refinery on the shore.

"Cyclonus, a word with you." Megatron walked away. Cyclonus ordered Onslaught to unload the Obliterator's cargo and get their troops working, before following Megatron. He transformed and flew to a tower, which Cyclones followed suite, his alt-mode being a cybertronian jet. In there, they could be certain no one could overheard them, so Megatron questioned:

"How exactly large are your troops?"

"Just about Onslaught's Combaticons and a small army of Vehicons: 100 warriors and 150 workers."

"The Combaticons will have to do. Cyclonus, I am planning an attack to secure an outpost on another continent, where we believe the Autobots have settled in. I would have you command an expedition there."

"Yes, my liege. I shall not disappoint you."

"It wouldn't be the first time." Megatron frowned, his tone becoming judgmental. "Unlike some Commanders, you are unquestionably loyal to the Decepticon cause. But your bravery leaves much to be desired."

Cyclonus met the berating optics of his master, though his shoulders did lowered slightly. It was true that Cyclonus hadn't been known for his courage during the War. He had joined the Decepticons pleading for them not to terminate him. On another occasion, when the Autobots came to rescue Swoop, he lost the battle and pleaded again for his life, even giving up the intel the Autobots needed to save their comrade. That had passed eons ago, but cybertronian memory is long.

Nonetheless, the Commander brought his shoulders back up and responded:

"I shall not disappoint you, my Lord."

"See that you don't."

* * *

**Geneva, Autobot Capital**.

"An outpost on the forefront would be great to keep an eye out for any incoming 'Con incursions." Arcee opined, walking through the empty street with Optimus, after a routine patrol. "That place on Lisboa could be useful."

"I am agreed, Arcee. Unfortunately we do not have the numbers to fortify a position anywhere outside our headquarters here." Optimus responded. "The refinery on the Mediterranean shore is automated but one of us must bridge there daily to bring in the energon cubes."

"As usual, we're outnumbered." the two-wheeler sounded dejected as they entered the palace that served as their base.

Ultra Magnus was exchanging words with Ratchet. There was something reprimanding about Magnus' tone about the doctor understanding the urgent necessity of contacting any other Autobots on their way to Earth. Ratchet responded just as formally that he indeed understood, better than anyone. That made the Commander back down.

Optimus watched all with a thorough optic. He knew his second-in-command was experiencing difficulty to adapt. Team Prime was not an army, nor a unit. It was a family, between Autobots and Humans. Ultra Magnus was a honorable, competent and courageous soldier, but failed to grasp that kind of unity because he interacted with them as a soldier.

"Ultra Magnus," he called as he made his approach. "I would have words."

"Yes, sir." the response was militarily respectful, typical of Magnus.

Optimus transformed and Ultra Magnus copied. His alt-mode was a cybertronian bulky vehicle, as there was no need to scan an Earth-based vehicle mode anymore. They drove to the shore of Lake Geneva and a silent moment followed. Optimus took his time to appreciate the view of the water before transforming, Magnus following suite.

"Ultra Magnus, you recall what I have told you before regarding Team Prime." it wasn't a question. He knew the Commander remembered Optimus telling him about the family they had.

"I regret to tell you I still have trouble grasping the concept, sir."

On the other side of the lake, Optimus spotted Jack taking a stroll, occasionally throwing a rock into the water. Magnus had glanced at the boy, but didn't look too deep. Optimus understood why; he had avoided all contact with the children since his arrival. Perhaps that was the block.

"I have decided that, on your next patrol, you shall take Jack Darby with you."

For the first time in many vorns, Ultra Magnus looked baffled. "Um...sir, may I ask why?"

"Jack has proven to be a responsible and trustworthy companion. If he were an Autobot, his skill of mind and loyalty would have earned him a place under your personal instruction, long ago." while Optimus gave a truthful answer, a part of him remembered the last time he had partnered Jack with an Autobot other than Arcee. Smokescreen had been irresponsible and inexperienced when Optimus put him together with Jack to learn more about humans. But he knows Ultra Magnus would never commit such negligence.

"Understood, sir."

* * *

**22nd February 2013.**

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ.**

"Me?" Jack pointed at himself, eyes confused.

"Yes, I ask of you to join Ultra Magnus on his patrol today to the city Lisboa, which has been abandoned by both sides since the battle with Underbite." Optimus clarified.

Jack felt like asking why, but he perceived Optimus had his reasons. Honestly, Jack was a tad curious about the Commander. Spending some alone, dull time with him might provide some answers.

"Understood." he nodded. Ultra Magnus noticed the boy's respectful attention at the Autobot leader. Jack Darby, the oldest of the human children - possibly the oldest human alive - was said to be somewhat similar to Optimus. Though he was more endearing of protocol and responsibility than the other two, Magnus saw little of Optimus in him. Yet the other Autobots vouched for the boy.

When the Darby turned to him, Ultra Magnus wordlessly transformed and opened a door for him. He had previously scanned Optimus' alt-mode since it was the most fitting form for Magnus. He would need it to transport a human.

Ratchet opened a groundbridge to Lisboa and the Commander drove in. The city was just like he remembered it. Filled with natives, yet void of life. Silence reigned, cut off by the occasional wind and crushing waves of energon.

They drove through a highway going through the heart of the city, able to pass by the cyberformed cars with ease. Magnus noticed his passenger kept gazing at the view with a melancholic expression. Were he a cadet on patrol, Magnus would have scolded him to keep a sharp optic for the enemy, not admiring the scenery. But Magnus was not callous and he understood what the human is going through is...difficult at least. Traumatizing.

"Commander…" he suddenly voiced, a bit timidly. "may I ask something?"

He didn't answer immediately. "Certainly."

"Why are you and Optimus so alike?"

The Autobot didn't see that particular inquiry coming, but indulged. "Because we are brothers."

The boy's eyes left the paisage to focus solely on the steering wheel with the Autobot insignia on it. "Like the 'Cons Dreadwing and Skyquake?"

"Not quite. We are brothers, but not twins in spite of our close physical similarities." Ultra Magnus explained. "The Well of AllSparks expelled us at the same time and very close to one another. While Orion Pax was selected to the Archivist caste, I ingressed to the Military caste. We were seperated when we were protoforms and did not recall one another until we met many vorns afterwards."

"So you two grew apart?"

"Quite so. Even when we finally met, we never treated each other as brothers, but simply as fellow Autobots. If Optimus Prime ever had a brother, that had been the gladiator Megatronus."

Jack almost chuckled. "That story sounds like a long-lost brothers soap opera."

"Soap opera? Why would an opera include soap?" Ultra Magnus questioned. Jack laughed louder.

"No! A soap opera is...a kind of drama story on TV. My mom used to…" his laughing ceased abruptly and turned somber.

The air around them trembled with the sound of an explosion, hitting the road behind them. Ultra Magnus used evasive maneuvers to escape the following blasts.

"We're under attack! Hold on tight."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Jack gripped the seat belt for dear life. He peeked through the side mirror some big, green, two-barreled tank chasing them.

"A new 'Con?"

"An old one." Ultra Magnus responded. Even a truck could easily outrun a tank and he put some safe distance at the exit of the highway. He ordered Jack out and transformed.

"Hide yourself."

Jack wisely didn't argue and Ultra Magnus faced the tank, who caught up to him and transformed.

"Say your prayers, Autobot!" the tank Decepticon sneered, aiming the two cannons on his back at him. Ultra Magnus gave no verbal comeback. Insulting an enemy in combat was pointless to achieve victory.

The enemy fired two shots but Ultra Magnus dodged with trained reflexes. He knew this Decepticon all too well: Brawl, the muscle of the Combaticons. Massive, strong, well-armed and temperamental. His wrath was his biggest weapon, but on occasions it turned into his highest handicap. Magnus intended to add one more of those occasions.

It was a matter to convince Brawl that he had him in the crosshairs and them move out. That would make him waste ammo and lose his naturally-thin patience.

Brawl fired again, and Ultra Magnus rolled behind some debris for cover. He took the opportunity to fire a single shot at Brawl's knee. It didn't cripple him or seriously hurt, but the knees were the joints on Brawl that were less protected. The sting made the tank's irritation grow, which Ultra Magnus was counting on.

"Hold still so I can blast ya!"

Ultra Magnus allowed his lips to curl into a smile. It was like ticking a titan-class drone with a retro-rat. Time to deliver the final blow. He positioned himself with his back to a tall building. In his rage, Brawl would shoot at where he was. Except Magnus would leap out of the line-of-fire in time. Brawl's shot would rather strike the basis of the infra-structure, making it collapse on top of himself.

"Here I am, Decepticon!" he shouted.

"Say 'uncle'!" Brawl fired. Then everything went wrong. Maybe the Decepticon's aim was already faulty by his anger, maybe Brawl did it intentionally, but the shot went for the middle height of the building, not the base. Ultra Magnus saw his whole tactic crumbling down, like the structure, upon him.

"Ah! How do you like that, scrap-eater!"

From his hiding place, Jack saw the whole thing. He tried to go for his comm-link - which the 'bots gave him since he crushed his cell-phone - only to find out it didn't work.

"Stupid thing!" he cursed under his breath. Now the Decepticon was digging through the rubble, bent on uncovering Magnus and probably disintegrate him. Darn it, it were times like these he wished he was an Autobot! All he had was the swiss army knife Miko had given him, a non-functional comm-link and a boomboxcar he was hiding behind. Nothing useful.

Then again...maybe it was everything he needed!

"Gotcha now." Brawl chuckled malevolently when he found Ultra Magnus, barely in stasis and flecked with dents and deep scratches. His optics turned on and he could faintly see the heavy fist Brawl was about to pound him with. "Nighty night!"

"Hey, Decepticon!" a voice shouted, echoing through the city. The source was a small boombox vehicle. "You got the guts to slag two 'Bots in one day, or are you just another Starscream?"

Brawl didn't know what 'guts' are, but he knew an insult when he heard one. Roaring like a mad Dinobot, Brawl transformed and gave chases. Like with Magnus, he neglected the fact that his alt-mode wasn't built for speed. Brawl lost the track of his prey in the square streets of Lisboa, but he could still hear his annoyingly young voice:

"Hey, 'Con! Nice threads, by the way. Did you stole them from a clown?" Brawl didn't know what a 'clown' is, either. But no one, seriously no one, had the right to mess with his threads!

"Aaarrgh! I'll ground ya to smithereens!" the 'Con went completely berserk and started firing at everything around in, blowing up historical buildings, crushing the statues of the inhabitants and filling the air with metal dust.

The boombox car, driven by Jack whom Brawl never spotted, returned to the sight of the previous fight where Ultra Magnus was pulling himself out. Injured as he was, he didn't show it when he scolded Jack:

"Mr. Darby, that could have been a tactical disaster that could have gotten you killed."

"It was the tactical disaster that saved your plates." Jack retorted and Magnus had to recognize so.

"It doesn't matter now. We must retreat at once." Magnus forced his T-cog to execute transformation, despite the pain and the warning signs. His peterbilt form was a wreck, windows shattered, parts dented and punctured but internal systems functioning. The boy hopped in and he drove away. Looking back, Jack could see several buildings going down under Brawl's wrath.

"We must contact base and request back up."

"I've tried, but I got no signal."

"Neither do I. The Decepticons must have placed a communications jammer around here." he spoke grimly. "Meaning Brawl isn't the only one here."

As if the Universe wanted to emphasize Magnus' point, an exploding shell blew on their path. And before they knew, they were surrounded by vehicular Decepticons. One of them, a fighter jet, transformed into an enemy Jack never saw and declared:

"Optimus Prime, surrender now."

"_Optimus? These guys think Magnus is Optimus!_"

Magnus' response was putting pedal to the metal and driving into the smallest of his captors, an SUV with a large cannon mounted on the side. Ultra Magnus was again being pursued, but this time the enemy could race as fast as him.

"Where did all these 'Cons came from?" Jack asked nearly hysterical.

"They are the Combaticons. Facing them all at once is borderline suicidal."

A missile went off on the side of Magnus, making him roll over and transform. He held Jack safely in his hand, trying to keep the human alive. Not that it would do any good, surrounded as they were with enemies. To their surprise, it had been Brawl who fired the missile, rolling to join his fellow 'Cons. "Eh, blastin' the same Prime twice the day! I'm on a roll."

When they approached their victim, bewilderment took place, sans for Brawl.

"The slag?! This isn't Optimus Prime!" Onslaught shouted.

"Ultra Magnus." the fighter jet, Cyclonus, said. "It would appear Brawl was mistaken about the identity of our target."

"Figures Brawl would shoot before recognizing." Onslaught muttered, which earned him a furious look from the tank.

"Cut me some slag, this fragger looks just like him."

"Whatever." Onslaught shrugged. "Let's just give Magnus' head to Megatron and throw the rest of him to the scrapheap."

The other Combaticons roared in approval. They closed in on the injured Autobot and the concealed human they had yet to see.

Magnus looked at his soon-to-be executioners without fear. For many times before he had faced the possibility of going offline and had escaped them all. If today he did not have such fortune and rejoins the AllSpark, he would go without regret...well, maybe just one: putting the life of one of the very last humans in peril, too. Perhaps he could motivate Jack Darby to flee while the Combaticons finished him.

Suddenly, said executioners had heavy fire raining upon them. Ultra Magnus looked up to see salvation.

A cybertronian helicopter showed up attacking the Combaticons and their Commander. It was an Autobot for this massive two-winged helicopter, with a rotor mounted on each tip, displayed the red 'Bot insignia on the front.

The air assault drove the Decepticons away and the helicopter transformed and landed between them and Ultra Magnus, making the soil tremble. This 'Bot was just as much of a titan in robot mode, as it was in vehicular. Ultra Magnus, a large 'Bot in Jack's opinion, could barely reach the waist of this 40-feet tall newcomer. Undoubtedly, the largest Cybertronian he had ever seen, making Optimus and Megatron look like dwarves.

"Commander Ultra Magnus, it has been quite some time." the giant one spoke with a gruff female voice. It was a femme. _She_ offered a servo to help him up, which Magnus took.

"Indeed, Captain Fireblade."

The giant femme noticed Jack in the Magnus' hand and uttered. "After this, I'll need an update, Commander." without ceremony, she turned to the Decepticons and took out an immense single-edge zweihänder from her subspace. The blade spontaneously set aflame. "Decepticons, your fight is with me!" and she ran into battle.

To say the fight was one-sided was an understatement. The Decepticons fought with no fear, but when their colossal enemy could easily throw them away like scrap-dolls, fighting was practically pointless.

"Wow!" Jack was in awe when Fireblade drew an arch with her flaming sword, sending flames at the enemies.

"Scrap it! Combaticons, combine into Bruticus!" Cyclonus growled.

"Thought you'd never ask!" Onslaught shouted, transforming into a form that was neither robot nor vehicle. It was a torso and a head with red optics and a mouth-guard like Optimus'. The other Combaticons transformed into different limbs and the five combined together into a true titan.

"Bruticus online! Ready for action!"

"Oh, man!" Jack gasped. Yet an even bigger Cybertronian stood now, Fireblade could only reach Bruticus' waist. But that didn't daunt her one bit, apparently. She transformed and took to the air, flying around the titan.

"Ultra Magnus!" Cyclonus, the one that didn't combine, pointed a sword at the Autobot as a challenge. "Face me."

"Gladly." Magnus put Jack on the ground, ordering him to hide again. Ignoring the pain of his wounds, Magnus got up and engaged. As neither of them had melee weapons at the time and it was a close-quarters combat, it turned into a fistfight.

In spite of injury, Magnus stood his ground when Cyclonus punched him in the gut and tried to pin him down. Magnus did a roundhouse kick to Cyclonus' head, throwing the Decepticons down but he got up almost instantaneously. If anything, every hit made Cyclonus more determined to win.

Jack turned his attention to the other battle when he heard Bruticus roaring:

"Hold still, scraplet!" Fireblade was agile in spite of her size and flew circles around him and shooting, too fast to be caught. She waited for the moment Bruticus had spread his arms and transformed on his shoulder. With a quick slash of her flaming blade, she severed the shoulder joint of his left arm.

"Arrgh!" Bruticus cried out but it didn't end there. Fireblade took the opportunity to leap and slash the combiner's chest from left shoulder to right hip. Uncapable of withstanding the injury and shock, Bruticus fell apart.

Cyclonus clenched his teeth. Everything was falling apart and he could not do anything to salvage the situation. He looked at his opponent, bruised like himself was.

"You win today. Decepticons, retreat!" and he flew away, followed by the battered Combaticons.

* * *

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ**.

Jack sat down while Ratchet performed his work on Ultra Magnus' wounds. The whole Team was in the Control Room to introduce Fireblade. Turns out she was quite known except to Smokescreen, and of course, to the children.

"This is Captain Fireblade of the Autobot Air Squadron." Optimus Prime made the introductions. It turned out Fireblade is so big because she is quite old. A ancient champion gladiator of Kaon for many vorns before Megatron even existed, she, remarkably enough, didn't follow the Decepticon uprising.

"Good to see one of our old big brawlers back." Wheeljack commented. "But what happened to your team?"

"My squadron and I were separated on our way to this planet by an encounter with the Decepticons. They all knew to rendezvous here. I am certain they will arrive in three solar cycles.

"They're not the only ones, though. I have learnt more Autobots are on their way. "Those are welcomed news, ancient one." Optimus spoke with a level of respect, even though Fireblade was his soldier, Jack noticed. Maybe it was the way he treated his elders. "We have been short-handed and the city of Lisboa could become an much needed forefront outpost to prevent any Decepticon incursion, until we consolidate our presence here."

"Who is coming?" Arcee asked.

"The Xantium and the Style Gal."

Whatever anyone was about to say became drowned in Bulkhead's and Wheeljack's cheer of chest-bumping and Miko shouted. "Alright!"

"What got you so pumped up?" Jack inquired.

"The Xantium is the old ship of the Wreckers." she grinned. "You know what this means, Jacky-boy. The all club is gonna get here to Wreck and Rule!"

"Okay, but what about the other...Style Gal?" Jack frowned at the name. It was Optimus who offered an explanation.

"The Style Gal is a ship commanded by one of my lieutenants and oldest of friends, Jazz. Many of our strongest and most renowned veterans were aboard it."

"_Was_ commanded." Fireblade corrected, earning the looks from everyone. "Jazz fell in a raid by the Obliterator. Died in combat with Cyclonus. Rodimus is now navigating it here."

Of all the affected 'Bots, Optimus seemed the most shocked. Jack noticed him closing his optics and clenching his fists. A rare display of emotion from their leader.

* * *

Later, while Ratchet insisted Fireblade should allow him to scan her for injuries and the goliath femme refused, Optimus talked with Ultra Magnus:

"I regret that your mission with Jack has taken this turn. It would seem every time I place him with another Autobot, fate machinates against us."

"Sir, please don't. This routine patrol may have turned into a fight for our lives, but it became fruitful, enlightening even." Magnus responded. "I have been informing myself better and I would like to have words with the boy."

Optimus quirked an eyebrow but offered no objection, merely indicated where he could find the human.

"Mr. Darby." Ultra Magnus walked up to Jack, who sat on the shore of Lake Geneva. Likely the human was relaxing after a day of meeting gigantic Cybertronians. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Though I should be asking you that, Commander."

"I am well. Doctor Ratchet did a fine job." Ultra Magnus paused and gathered his thoughts. "I just came here to tell you Optimus was correct. You have shown ingenuity and quick-thinking today when you lured Brawl away and saved my Spark. If you were an Elite Guard Cadet, your qualities would have elevated you under my instruction."

"What…You and Optimus have been talking about me?"

Magnus nodded, though he refrained to tell him why Optimus had paired Jack with him on this mission that had nearly turned into a debacle. "I have been investigating your past actions. Your previous strategic ideas: commandeering a spacebridge to journey to Vector Sigma and restore Optimus' memory; or invading the Nemesis to retrieve the Iacon database. Optimus said you have the qualities of a leader. I see that now."

"Uh...thanks." Jack added in his mind. "_Awkward_." the Commander may have tried to sound friendly, but he came out just as formal as always.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

"You have failed." Megatron declared passionlessly. He was sitting on the throne after watching the recording of the battle. Cyclonus was bowing to him on one knee.

"I have no excuse for my failure, my liege." the Commander didn't dare lifting his head.

"You ordered your forces to retreat when you saw they were up against an opponent they could not overcome." the warlord continued. "Fireblade is indeed an adversary very few have survived against." he admitted the last part grudgingly.

"Yet you chose challenge Ultra Magnus rather than staying out of the fight. Why was that?" Megatron recalled on Cybertron, Cyclonus prefered to fight from the sidelines and order his troops to charge at the front.

"Though the Combaticons' battle may have been lost from the start, I believed I could still snuff the Autobot Commander's Spark."

"So you attempted to salvage a victory from today's defeat, even when the odds were against you. To be truthful, I would have expected you to flee at the first sign things go wrong." Megatron scratched his chin. "Well done, Cyclonus."

"Master?" the subordinate finally lifted his face, puzzled.

"I can see the eons have somewhat tuned your courage, Cyclonus. You are dismissed."

"My liege!" he saluted and left. Megatron watched him transform and fly down the hight of Ristvak'baen. Starscream better make effort to keep his post, or he will compete against a replacement in a Spark beat.

* * *

The alt-mode of the introduced characters and their Continuities:

**Combaticons** (War for Cybertron/Fall of Cybertron) - just search the tfwiki.

**Cyclonus** (War for Cybertron)

**Fireblade** (OC) - her alt-mode is a Mil V-12, the largest helicopter ever built.

**Cyclonus** and **Jack** both scored some points today. Next chapter will make a time jump. And sorry about Jazz but this story is supposed to have a handful of sadness. Unfortunately I'll bring a ton more of it in next chapter. When it comes, don't hate me much please.


	7. Chapter 7

**halo is bad ass**, **Secret** and **Kaleia**: I killed Jazz off-screen for a reason, one I will exploit later. And his death will be revealed in a flashback.

**animesbff13**: Raf is already sick with a fever in this chapter, though nothing serious. But don't worry, I had plan to have one of the kids seriously sick with something nasty.

**AVFireBlade9472**: I've been using this avatar name for years, FYI.

**Gabby M**: There will be no new name for Earth, though that is a bit uncertain by now. Optimus refuses to give Autobot names to their bases and cities for he sees that as dishonoring the fallen natives. Unlike Megatron who already has an handful of cities relabbeled like New Kaon. Though he is holding the new name for the planet after he conquers it. And about Miko, you're a clever one. (Smirk)

**DoomCabbit**: The thing is Fireblade was something I had on my mind for a long time. As for the plentiful aerial Autobots, don't forget the Decepticon outnumber them vastily when it comes to fliers. Plus, Fireblade commands a squadron of helicopters. It includes the last Protectobot Blades, the triple-changer Drift, another OC Jolt, and the former Decepticon Grindor. I had plan to introduce them all in the previous chapter but thought it to be overkill.

From this chapter on, time will be measured also in **AE** (**A**fter **E**xtinction). The location is again in my country. Call me smug, but I like my the islands of my nation, even if they're all dead in this Universe. And get ready for another sad farewell. Don't hate me after you read this.

* * *

**2nd November 2013. 1 Year AE.**

**Geneva, Autobot capital.**

The city had changed in the last months since the Autobots settled. As more Autobots arrived from the stars, the city was no longer a ghost town but an inhabited metropolis again. There was very little construction to be needed as the Omega Lock fashioned Cybertronian architecture from human one. Though many buildings had been modified to suite military purposes.

The construction of several small fortresses and watchtowers around Geneva and the dockyard for spaceships, for example. There were even plans to build massive long-range weaponry like those on the so-called Decepticon HQ Ristvak'baen, though Optimus kept pushing those projects only for defensive tactics, rather than nuclear deterrents like Megatron uses his to prevent any Autobot settlement on North America.

Beyond Geneva, Europe had now scattered Autobot settlements, all minor compared to the capital. Some were outposts to keep an optic on enemy. Others were refineries of energon on the coastline. And a few others were special factories and manufacturing facilities that are better protected by isolation.

Lisboa was one of such settlements, where the giant Captain Fireblade and her squadron had their base hidden and kept on the look out for Decepticon activity. Optimus was now speaking with the ancient Autobot:

"_My scout Blades has detected Decepticon activity over 1600 km west of our location, on an island in middle of the Atlantic Ocean called 'Pico'._" Fireblade's holographic form spoke to the Prime. On the interface appeared a map with an island surrounded by others. "_He could not approach the island to attain better intelligence. But it appears to be some large, yet rushed construction. The warship Nemesis was ferrying large parts of prefabricated infrastructure. Whatever Megatron is building there, it is big and too important to be faltered by labour delays._"

The interface displayed images of a construction being erected out of giant pieces put together on the side of a tall peak.

"Unfortunately we cannot tell what is the exact purpose of this endeavour. Though I can hazard a guess." Optimus opined, taking a hand to his chin as he observed the images. "Now that Megatron knows we are settled on Europe, he intends to pluck out a piece of it close enough to attack us with impunity. The island is quite far, but if they are putting together long-range weaponry, they could carpet bomb all our western outposts."

"_I had deduced the same. It could be more of those fusion cannons Megatron has Ristvak'baen and New Kaon equipped with_."

"That would certainly fit the mold. If Megatron manages to build this isolated menace, even though he could not yet reach Geneva, he could grasp our western territory and promptly invade us. Such outcome must be avoided at any cost."

"_I can lead my squadron on an assault, though I doubt it would be successful. The Decepticons know Lisboa is the Autobot outpost closest to their location, hence they would have taken precautions._"

"My thoughts exactly, old one." Optimus nodded. He knew Fireblade was no coward, but her long age and combat experience tuned her with a great tactical and strategical skill. "You and your squadron shall remain on your post and keep vigilance. I shall send the Wreckers to sabotage this construction."

* * *

"Alright slagheads, listen up!" Springer, the Wrecker leader who took charge after Impactor went offline vorns ago, shouted to the assembled 'Bots. "The Big O Prime has got us a mission that the other Autobots don't have the pistons to accept. So we go to some crummy little island, do our thing and return home.

"Oh," he fakely added as an afterthought. "and if we end up making a big mess...well, bigger than usual" that drew a few chuckles. ", we can rely on old Fireblade and her helicopter squadron for backup. You know what this means?"

"That's just overkill." Wheeljack smirked.

"Wrongo! Means Prime has forgotten who we are. Wreckers don't call for backup…"

"They call for CLEAN-UP!" every other Wrecker shouted with fists high in the air. One by one they began boarding the Xanthium.

"Good luck with the dish, Bulk." Miko, who had been watching the pep-talk/speech, gave a thumbs up to her guardian.

"Hey, you're more than welcome to join us, kid." Wheeljack piped in, ignoring the shaking-head signs from Bulkhead.

"No can do, Jackie." she sighed, putting on a backpack. "I gotta check out this hospital outside of town for some medicine. Raf's fever is getting no good from all the late night work. So I can't come with."

"More like you can't sneak up into Bulkhead." Wheeljack grinned. "Guess the 'Cons are in luck this time you're not coming."

"You can count on that. And Bulk," she turned to the big and green. "bring me a souvenir."

"Got it." he smiled.

* * *

**10 Hours later.**

**Over the Atlantic Ocean.**

The Xanthium was concealed behind a relatively thin island with tall cliffs over the shoreline, camouflaged by the darkness of the night. This island, called São Jorge by the now dead natives, was just 15 km from Pico making it the perfect place from launching an all-out surprise attack.

"We bust in, we bust 'Cons. End of story." Springer explained and the femme sniper Moonracer giggled:

"Master of the simple plan, as usual."

Besides Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Springer, the Wreckers included an sharp-optic femme Moonracer who could shoot a scraplet over a mile away. Kup, a heavy old veteran who had the habit of surviving nasty, suicidal missions and telling boring war stories. Fisitron, a mechatronics engineer who goes by other aliases and makes sure every other Wreckers is well-armed and ready to wreck. Finally the newest member was Hot Shot, a young enthusiastic fighter who never leaves his special vision goggles at home.

"You know me," Springer smirked. "plans are simple. How we execute them is complicated." Springer showed an holographic 3D map of the Decepticon operation.

"The 'Cons are building up some big bad WMD on the hill of this dead volcano." he pointed to the over-two-kilometer tall mountain. A fortress barely finished, shaped like an upside down bulb. Though heavily shielded, there was something missing on the top: a large cannon being constructed. "They still haven't brought the big gun to the stage and our job is to reduce this base to slag _before_ that happens. Wrecker style."

Wheeljack smirked, a hand laid on the grenade he carried with him. Springer explained the battle plans until he came to a part nobody was eager to hear:

"If anything goes bad, Fireblade says her squadron is nearby and ready to assist."

"She thinks we can't handle this?" Fisitron asked. "Sure she's a big one, but we can get scrap done, because she servo wrestled with Buckethead and... "

"Fireblade servo wrestled Buckethead?" asked the rookie Wrecker, Hot Shot.

"Yeah, it's an old rumor, kid." Springer explained. Other Autobot sub-factions wouldn't engage in chat during a mission briefing; Ultra Magnus himself would rather cut off his own arm than do so. But the Wreckers put many rules aside. "When Buckethead still went by 'Megatronus', he got cocky and offended a femme gladiator, Fireblade. They settled the throw down with servo wrestling." Springer flashed a smirk. "She didn't stop twisting his servo until he cried for mercy."

A collective snigger filled the ship. "Alright, time to wreck and rule!"

Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Hot Shot took the small shuttle, the Madhammer, and made their way to the side of the Pico mountain on the other island. They landed on the opposite side of the mountain and began making their way up. Springer, Moonracer, Kup and Fisitron would go a separate direction.

* * *

**Inside the fortress**.

Starscream watched the Vehicons piecing together the equipment of a laboratory. One of them nearly dropped a costly part, a move that wrenched Starscream's nerves:

"Be careful, you clumsy moronic drone!" the drone hastily returned to work after checking the part was intact.

A sighing Starscream turned to the chief scientist of the operation, a Seeker much like himself in frame. Except the colors were a pale blue and grey, the chin and the antenna were much shorter, instead of claws he had normal digits and the optics were two small dots.

"Thundercracker, how soon can you get this lab online?"

"I about a solar cycle, that is to say, an Earth day. You can't hasten perfection, Starscream." the scientist replied, examining his data-pad.

"Actually you will find out you can. Lord Megatron can hasten anything with just a glance." Starscream retorted which drew a chuckle from his fellow Seeker:

"That is true enough, Screamer. But Lord Megatron isn't here. So perfection goes as it must."

"You do realize our Lord and Master wants this facility fully operational as soon as possible before the Autobots catch wind of our plans. We must gut their territory before they have a chance to do that to ours." Starscream approached Thundercracker to look him in the optic.

That would scare any drone, even a few 'Cons like Knock Out. But not Thundercracker who spent eons working under Starscream to fear him anymore than he deserved.

"Yes, yes, but either we do this good, or we don't do it at all. Things take their time to be perfect." Starscream groaned impatiently at him:

"Ugh, always the perfectionist, aren't' you! Fine, just hurry up with the lab. In two solar cycles the warship will deliver the main weapon components. Be ready to attend to the neutron cannon's construction. That's the whole point of this operation."

* * *

**On the side of the mountain.**

On their way up, Hot Shot put on his night-vision goggles. "I'm picking up a boogie in the air." he zoomed in on the shape of a Seeker. "I know that particular shape. That's one of the wonder triplets, but my guess would be Skywarp."

"How do you know for sure, kid?" Bulkhead asked.

"The tips of his wings are a bit less angular than his two ugly trine mates. Kup kept blabbering about that in his old war stories. Guess I was lucky to actually have been paying attention for once." the young one remarked.

"Hum...I got a plan." Wheeljack smirked.

* * *

Skywarp navigated through the dark skies over an ocean of energon with very a faint glow. There were no raw energon oceans on Cybertron, that's for sure. And the Big M claims it was a shame Cybertron was lost so they could have Earth.

"Good riddance, I say." he uttered out loud to no one. Cybertron had been a scrapheap since the War, even before the planet died. Now this Earth was shiny new and filled with fuel. Perfect!

Without warning, his scanner picked up something on the ground. A lone Autobot signal, totally unmasked. Skywarp could even glimpse the Autoscum on the side of the mountain, in plain sight.

Any level headed soldier would report the presence of an enemy before engaging, but not Skywarp. He would transwarp behind the 'Bot and shove him down the mountain, cackling madly as he watched the Autobot roll his way down. Then finally he would alert Starscream.

"Eh!" he snickered, warp-drive charging. "One stupid 'bot coming down."

* * *

Hot Shot was on the ground, looking distracted and unaware. Space behind him began to warp and Skywarp made his appearance. But instead of the Decepticon shoving down the Autobot like he intended, Skywarp wound up tackled to the ground by Bulkhead and Wheeljack, who got the jump on him.

"Hey, what givesh?!" his mouth was pushed against the metal ground.

"Say 'uncle'." Bulkhead twisted the 'Con's arm behind his back. Not enough to torture him, but enough to cause pain.

"Uncle!" Bulkhead silenced him with a wrecking-ball punch to the head, knocking him into stasis. Wheeljack pressed a small device against Skywarp's audio receptors. There was a sound of static and then a small trail of smoke.

"There, fried his comm-link. Even if this little bird wakes up from his hard nap, no telling the 'Cons we're in the vicinity."

The three hid the unconscious 'Con in a crevice where he would not be able to release himself without much effort.

"Next time, one of you guys plays bate." Hot Shot complained.

"Why? Afraid to get shot at, kid?" Wheeljack tease.

"Nah, just jealous you get to put the 'Con down."

"Ah! I like you already, champ."

Bulkhead felt a small desire to join the friendly teasing session: "If you lovebots are done, we still got a mountain to climb."

"Coming, boss fat-bot." Hot Shot retorted, getting a laugh out of Bulkhead. Man, it felt good to be amongst the old band of brothers again.

* * *

**An hour later.**

The team had arrived at their destination. They could see the front door of the fortress. It wasn't as ominous or as fortified as Ristvak'baen, obviously. And the four guards on the entrance were simple servant-class drones, not warrior-class.

"Weird they put workers posing as guards." Hot Shot commented. "Maybe they're short-handed?"

Wheeljack humphed. "No warrior drones? The 'Cons robbed us of all our fun." he looked at the grenade in his hand. "Almost feels insulting to use this baby for taking out a foursome of miners and cargo pushers."

The four worker Vehicons were watching their surroundings with not much of an attentive optic. Suddenly, a small object came rolling towards them. Much to their surprise, it was a skateboard-like object the size of a motorcycle. It carried a triggered grenade beneath a message scorched on a metal board:

'SAYONARA, BABY!'

It detonated, taking out the guards and the door. Hot Shot looked with wide optics:

"Nice, where did you learn that trick, chief?"

"Miko gave me the tip." Wheeljack took out his sabers.

"Now let's Rambo." Bulkhead led the charge.

"Rambo?" Hot Shot quirked an eyebrow.

"Another of Miko's tips."

* * *

On the opposite side of the fortress, Springer, Kup, Moonracer and Fisitron were breaking in. The two teams of Wreckers were invading the fortress and would tear it down from the inside.

"Springer, look at this." Fisitron indicated a data terminal.

"Nice." Springer examined the terminal and downloaded the schematics of the fortress. Next he pulled out a remote control and pressed a few buttons.

"Done." he announced to his team. "I programmed the Xanthium to automatically fly to the fortress, guns blazing. The ship has the firepower to at least engage this hovel's automated turrets."

"You're gonna blow up the fortress with us inside?" Moonracer asked with a sarcastic eyebrow.

"Not today. The ship's priority target is the command center."

* * *

**Meanwhile, in the command center.**

"Blasted Autobots!" Starscream punched the controls in fury. "All troops, converge into sectors 8 and 4. Engage and destroy the intruders!"

"I see one problem with that order, Starscream. We have no troopers on this facility, only workers. Everything here was rushed into construction." Thundercracker noted from behind.

"Where is Skywarp?! He should have been in patrol for enemies."

"We lost communications with him. His comm-link is dead."

"Ugh! Useless, incompetent, good-for-nothing!" the Commander opened communications with their city. "This is Commander Starscream to New Kaon. We require urgent reinforcements, now!"

"Uh, Starscream?" Thundercracker patted him on the shoulder.

"What is it?" he snarled, anger flashing in his optics. Thundercracker had his sight nailed on the outside of the wide window. Starscream turned to see the Wreckers' ship approaching and exchanging shots with the turrets of the fortress. But what made the Decepticons cringe in fear were the main guns of the Xanthium pointing at them.

"Frag this scrap!" they shouted and flew in unison out of the command center before the Xanthium blasted it.

* * *

Bulkhead punched a Vehicon in the chin, knocking it unconscious. This mission was going ridiculously easy. There were no real Decepticons to fight, not even warrior drones. Hence, per Autobot discipline, they didn't terminate the enemies they beat.

His team would rendezvous with Springer's on the next level, then follow up to where the main gun that was to be pieced together in this fortress. They would blow it all up and get out onto the Xanthium, in the process reducing the rest of the place to rusting scrap.

"This going way easy." he commented.

"I hear you, too easy. No fun at all." Hot Shot fired his two arm-mounted blasters.

The Universe heard Hot Shot's remark and decided to spit him in the faceplates. A groundbridge opened on their way and five loathsome figures stepped out.

"Nuts and bolts! It's them." Wheeljack snarled with repulse. These five Decepticons were sworn enemies of the Wreckers. They're a rebellious group that Megatron has difficulty in controlling. They accepted missions that required a lot of dirty work and smashing. Ironically, that made them the evil mirror image of the Wreckers - the Stunticons.

Bulkhead remembered them all, save one. The new 'Bot armed with a single-bladed axe was probably Offroad, the new guy that joined after Breakdown left the Stunticons. The others were all familiar, detestable faces. From the terrorist leader Motormaster, the grudge-holder Wildrider, the silent and creepy Dead End (he could give Soundwave a good run for his energon) and the boastful Drag Strip.

"Wheeljack, it's been a long time." Wildrider, wielder of two sabers and similar in bodily appearance to Wheeljack, hissed with a savage look of battle lust. "Missed me?"

"I missed beating you to scrap." Wheeljack ran into battle, his evil twin mimicked in. The fight erupted between the three Wreckers and the five Stunticons.

Wheeljack and Wildrider locked swords, each on trying to gain the upper-hand by pushing harder. Out of the corner of his optics, he saw Drag Strip attempting to run him over. With a wide smirk, Wheeljack leaped and flipped over Wildrider, who wound up on the receiving end of Drag Strip's rolling. The two collided and went against a wall.

"Who asked you to get in my way?" Drag Strip groaned. Wildrider, on the edge of a rage fit, grabbed his 'comrade' by the neck and hissed on his face.

"Wheeljack is mine, you got it you pile of rejected spare parts!"

With the other battle, things were taking a similar route. Bulkhead and Hot Shot were back-to-back engaged with Dead End, Motormaster and the rookie Offroad. The veteran 'Cons were coming from one side at Bulkhead, while Offroad came from the other at Hot Shot

The two Wrecker nodded to one another, going for a combined attack. The bulky Wrecker ducked and allowed Hot Shot to leap off his back. With deadly accuracy, he fired and blew up a boiling coolant conduit above Motormaster and Dead End, covering them in the heated liquid.

"Aw, scrap it! It burns" while the Stunticon leader growled in agony, Dead End kept uncannily silent.

Without ceremony, Bulkhead punched Offroad with combat experience the 'Con didn't have. In the end, there was a major difference between Wrecker and Stunticons. The first were a close tight team, while the second were rebellious and untrusting of each other. In a final analysis, even outnumbered Wreckers always win.

"Frag this all." Motormaster roared. "Stunticons, transform and merge into Menasor!"

Unless the Stunticons do just that. Motormaster formed the torso and head, Drag Strip the right arm, Dead End the left arm, Wildrider the left leg and Offroad replaced the late Breakdown as the right leg.

"Menasor destroy!"

"Ok, now we're scrapped." if Hot Shot were human, he would gulp. Menasor was just as tall as Bruticus, and even more of a raging machine of destruction. Whereas the Combaticons are a disciplined team, the Stunticons resent each other, thus making their combiner form mentally unbalanced.

Menasor roared like a mad animal and punched everything at his height; that was the ceiling and the walls. The corridor began to crumble and the Wreckers scattered. Wheeljack and Hot Shot wound up on the other side of the rubble whereas Bulkhead was cut off from them, and alone with Menasor.

"_Yo, Bulk!_" Wheeljack commed him. "_You still in one piece?_"

"Yeah, but not for long if Menasor has anything to say about it." he muttered, the combiner menacingly walking towards him.

"_Just hold on. We're getting you out of there._"

"Menasor crush!" the combiner was going to stomp him but Bulkhead transformed and rolled out of danger. He could not flee from that monster, Menasor was big enough to catch up to him with a few steps. So the best way to finish off something big? Making it fall.

A stray drop of refined energon fell on Bulkhead's chassis. He turned his side mirror up to see the tubes of energon above them. THey were leaking a bit thin string of energon, damage caused by Menasor's first tantrum. If Bulkhead's face were visible now, he would be smiling.

"Hey, Menasor! You heard about Breakdown biting the rust? Sure the other 'Cons are still talking about that nowadays. How does that does for the Stunticons' reputation?" he paused deliberately. "To know that a tough and rough Stunticon could be bested by humans. You guys are all soft metal."

That did it. Menasor growled like a deranged Dinobot, throwing blind punches at the ceiling and the walls and stomping madly the ground. All the senseless violence made the structure even more fragile but had the effect desired by Bulkhead. The tube of energon broke and spilled the substance all over the enraged combiner. Bulkhead transformed and fired a single shot. It was enough.

The highly volatile fuel ignited and Menasor burst, tossing Bulkhead against the already compromised structure. The combiner's animalistic howls changed from rage into pain and he broke apart into five heavily battered Stunticons.

As for Bulkhead, his plan had also hurt him. The explosion had damaged him, as had the impact on his back. He tried to stand up on to find out his legs were damaged and unable to carry him.

"_Bulkhead? You okay?_"

"Just fine, Jackie. Menasor's done." he sighed, suddenly feeling very tired and hurt. "But you mind getting here, pronto?"

Bulkhead coughed a spit of energon as he dragged himself. He was bleeding internally. His vision saturated with warning signs of energon leaks and internal traumas. Soon he would fall into deep stasis and if without medical treatment for too long, death. He brought himself to his knees and tried to stand but to no avail.

Footsteps echoed and he lifted his face hoping to see one of his would-be rescuers. His face shifted into a gaze of contempt when he saw Starscream sneering:

"How the mighty have fallen." the Seeker spared a passionless look to the Stunticons then turned to the Wrecker. "Tell me Bulkhead, any pitiful words, pleads for mercy before I hand you to Lord Megatron for interrogation?"

"Eat scrap!" he spat energon to Starscream's feet. The Seeker was taken aback by the display of resistance. Just like that smug Cliffjumper in his final hours. Giving in to his volatile anger, Starscream buried his clawed servo into Bulkhead's chest plates, piercing through his internal organs. The Wrecker's look of defiance turned into a grimace of pain, just like Cliffjumper.

Starscream smirked when he felt the Autobot's Spark surrounded by his razor sharp digits. This time, unlike Cliffjumper, he decided to go slow to witness the life and hope leaving Bulkhead's optics in a much longer memory. With a small increase of pressure, Starscream commanded his claws to slowly pierce the Spark.

The pile of rubble blocking the way exploded and Starscream looked bewildered to see Wheeljack and Hot Shot blasting their way. They aimed their guns at the Seeker who flew away cowardly (big surprise).

"Bulk!" Wheeljack looked horrified to the wounds of his life-long brother. "Come on, hang in there."

He and Hot Shot carried the dying Wrecker out of there as fast as they could. They came into the Xanthium and outside the fortresses anti-groundbridge array:

"Open a bridge to Geneva, NOW!" Springer didn't pause to question Wheeljack's request and did so. Every Wrecker looked preoccupied for their comrade.

* * *

**Alpha Trion Memorial Hospital, Geneva.**

Ratchet was reviewing the status of his patients in the computer. Most of them were with minor problems and had been discharged. The ATMH was quiet and dull with virtually no work to do.

Unlike an Earth year ago, Ratchet now had proper installations, equipment and a medical staff. This lightened much of his work and allowed the old Chief Medic much free time to pursue other scientific goals. Such as the far-off, remote possibility of restoring the Omega Lock...and maybe even Earth.

"Doc!" Wheeljack burst in, knocking just about half of Ratchet's tools on the shelves.

"Wheeljack, I needed...Bulkhead!" his optics widened at the sight of his nearly offlined comrade and friend being carried by the other two Wreckers. Before Wheeljack could shout anything else, the medic had already entered his 'doctor' state of mind. Leaving behind all emotion and locking it deep down, there was only professionalism and determination to the mission: save a 'Bot's life.

"To the Emergency Care, now!" he automatically opened a door to the room with extensive life-support machines. Wheeljack and Hot Shot carried him in. "Greenlight, Red Alert, to Emergency Care Room 34, at once!"

Ratchet's two assistants arrived in less than a cyber-minute and already the chief was up to his neck cables to keep Bulkhead alive and stable.

"Greenlight, connect the energon infusers. Red Alert, prepare the vita-chamber." Ratchet turned to Wheeljack and Hot Shot. "You must leave."

"No can do, Doc. Bulkhead wouldn't leave my side, no matter what."

"_Yes_, he _would_." Ratchet cut off with great vehemence. He didn't shout which only made the power behind his voice all greater. "Because he would want me to save your life. Now leave. Doctor's orders."

Wheeljack clenched his fists and dental before nodding ruefully. "Warn me as soon as he's okay. Or else, you'll have to deal with me." he crossed the door with Hot Shot in toe who simply wished: "Good luck, doctor."

Ratchet turned back to the patient, who was now the center of his Universe. Nothing else mattered.

"Just hold on, Bulkhead. Don't you die on us." he began to make an extensive scan, mentally wincing as every new injury added to the list. He almost gasped when the scanner detected small but clear holes in Bulkhead's Spark. His life force was slowly pouring out!

"Red Alert!"

"Vita-chamber is fully charged." the three carefully put Bulkhead in the horizontal capsule-like chamber. It was a miracle the Technobots had salvaged this vita-chamber from Cybertron before the Great Exodus. A top notch technological marvel used exclusively for medical ends. It could prevent the Spark from snuffing out for a long period of time, thus keeping a mortally wounded 'Bot inside alive for long enough for the operation to take place. Though in Ratchet's expertize, it was never attempted to use on someone whose very Spark had been pierced. It was something unheard of.

"Vital signal's still dropping, albeit at slower rate." Red Alert spoke dreadfully.

"Come on, Bulkhead. We need you." Ratchet crushed one of his tools without regard, a useless wrench by now.

The patient's optics began to flicker back online, like timid light bulbs. Ratchet's sense of hope was short-lived as the life signs began to get critically low.

"Hey...Rat-chet."

"Don't talk, please. We're about to begin operation."

"Tell...Miko...I'm sorry...I got no...souvenir." and his optics shut down again. Bulkhead flatlined.

"No." Ratchet dropped the crushed wrench, which broke apart on the floor.

* * *

**3rd November 2013. 1 Year and 1 day AE.**

**New Kaon, Decepticon capital.**

Starscream had just bridged from Ristvak'baen and all things considered, Megatron's reprimanding of his failure was not so bad. The fortress on Pico was mildly damaged and could be repaired soon enough with an increase of work labour.

As for the neutron cannon, its construction was to be sped up, ignoring most of the damage to the fortress to build the weapon before another Autobot attack. It was imperative that the cannon was finished and operational as soon as possible, now that the fortress's location was compromised.

Megatron had been furious but he was slightly mollified by the news of the Autobot Bulkhead's demise. At first, the leader of the Decepticons was skeptical and uttered something about:

"It would not be the first time report's of Bulkhead's offlining were greatly exaggerated."

Starscream insisted he pierced the Wrecker's Spark, going as far as to volunteer for a cortical psychic patch to confirm the veracity of his claims. That conviction was apparently enough for Megatron to believe.

"If my unreliable lieutenant is willing to reveal the whole truth, then the whole truth must be the truth he speaks, amazingly enough." he had said.

However, Megatron gave an ultimatum that really had Starscream worried:

"See to the completion of the neutron cannon and the eradication of the Autobot western front, _Commander_. Or you shall find yourself no longer entitled to such rank."

Starscream knew all too well Megatron had taken an interest in Cyclonus and harbored ideas of having him as his second-in-command. He could see it in his Lord and Master's optics. And he could see the presumption in Cyclonus' attitude, thinking he is a stone's throw away from his position.

"Not on my watch, Cyclonus." he muttered under his breath. "I will have that neutron cannon finished and eradicate every Autobot within my reach. Then Megatron will never even toy with the idea of having you as his FirstLieutenant."

He flew into an industry complex, where scores of Vehicons were manufacturing weapon components. He walked up to the Combaticon Vortex's station, where the 'Con was overseeing the work:

"Vortex, I require a full regiment of workers, immediately."

"No can do, Starscream. We need every servo available here. Megatron wants weapon production at maximum."

"Now you listen to me, Combaticon." Starscream pointed a long, sharp digit at him. "I am your superior officer who has just recently added another Autobot, a Wrecker to be precise, to his kill-count. If you know what is good for your health, you will follow my orders."

Vortex was not coerced but he knew Starscream would not get off his back. Might as well concede his request. And if Megatron gets upset for the factory being short-handed, he can just force the drones to work more. Or even better, pin the blame on Screamer.

"Fine, whatever. You have your worker regiment." Vortex chose one at random and ordered them to go with Starscream. Before he crossed he flew to the groundbridge nexus, Vortex commented:

"If I were you, I would tune down the bragging about slagging the big, green Wrecker."

"Oh, why is that? Afraid to get popular?" Starscream taunted.

"No." Vortex answered drily. "But Knock Out told what happened to that big-aft Insecticon, after everyone thought _he_ had snuffed Bulkhead. The other Wreckers went out for revenge and delivered Hardshell in pieces."

Starscream frowned; that event must have happened during his..._exile_ from the Decepticon ranks. Though he occasionally heard some uninteresting rumors that Wheeljack slagged the fiercest Insecticon, after the abominable insect attempted to slay Bulkhead.

"So Wheeljack managed to terminate a dim-witted Insecticon. Unlike those vermins, I am far too clever to let it fool me."

Vortex rolled his optics. "Whatever you say. But FYI, it wasn't Wheeljack who tore the bug to shreds. It was some human girl pet."

Starscream looked flabbergasted before composing himself and snapping. "Oh, whatever! I will not be bested by a member of an inferior race. A _dead race_ for that matter."

* * *

Please don't hate me. Life is made of joy and sadness. Sometimes, sadness just rules over joy.


	8. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR NOTE: **I am sorry for what I put my readers through. I know two deaths in a row (**Jazz** and **Bulkhead**, may the two rest in peace.) is too much. But sometimes good things come out of bad ones, and that is what I am planning to build upon. **Optimus**, especially, needed to go through this so the story could move to the next phase. Let's not forget the **War for Cybertron** lasted millions of years. The **War for Earth** will be much different in that regard.

**Guest #1**: Yes, I am putting some specific human and autobot bonding in this chapter. I think who the pair will be is pretty obvious.

**Guest #3**: The new Autobots have asked around why is this planet they heard to be organic made of metal. Optimus and the others explained the other 'Bots to keep that subject quiet not to hurt the kids. But I know what you mean. Maybe I'll put Perceptor or others interested in the subject.

**Bluefeather4299**, **Karrashi**, **Secret**: Sorry but I felt the death of a main character would a much needed impact. This war is to the knife. You will see.

In the end of this chapter, Megatron makes a joke. Well, as much of a joke as he can without breaking character. And Blaster(FOC) and Perceptor(FOC) are introduced, though not much developed.

* * *

**3rd November 2013. 1 Year and 1 day AE.**

**Funeral Hall, Geneva, Autobot capital.**

The Cathedral of Saint Pierre had become a vast hall where fallen Autobots were incinerated as the ancient ritual for noble Cybertronian warriors demanded. Bulkhead's husk had been polished clean and the injuries repaired, even if now it would do no good. That was how final respects were paid to a departed Spark.

All of Team Prime and the Wreckers were present, as well as a handful of other 'Bots, one of whom being Ironhide, Bulkhead's old drill sergeant. Though the Wreckers kept a hardened face of mourning, most of Team Prime allowed sorrows to flow out.

Arcee, Bumblebee, Ratchet and Smokescreen were crestfallen and if their biology allowed them, they would be crying. Optimus remained stoic as ever, even if his voice gave him away as one of the saddest present.

The children were with Team Prime. Rafael was recovering quickly thanks to the medicine Miko retrieved. Said girl, however, was terribly silent. Pale, bloodshot eyes and seemed ready to collapse at any moment. Wheeljack spared a couple of quick glances at her. He still felt his Spark cold from the moment he revealed to her the tragedy.

_Flashback:_

"_Who knew robbing an abandoned HP could be so boring." Miko groaned, putting away the empty backpack. She was now in her room in the Palace of Nations, after visiting Raf and giving her scavenging to Jack. He knew more of medicine thanks to the occasional crash-courses June enforced upon him._

"Miko,_" the voice of Ratchet interrupted whatever musings she may have. "_please come to the Control Room, now. There is something we must show you."

"_Ugh, alright!" she made a groan; she would rather go to bed. Exiting her quarter, the girl found Wheeljack standing outside. He seemed grimly silent, she noticed._

"_Hey, kid." his greeting was just as grim and void of positive emotion. "I'm here to take you doc." he offered her a hand to stand on, so she energetically leaped off from the walkway and into his servo._

"_Jackie, what's with all the secrecy, doom and gloom? And when is Bulk bringing my souvenir, hu?"_

_Wheeljack halted when she finished saying that last part. His face grimaced with anger, fists began to curl up but stopped himself when he remembered he had a passenger. Without replying, he carried on to the outside of the HQ, transformed and rolled to the Alpha Trion Memorial Hospital. _

_Miko felt a twinge of fear up her spine._

_They entered a Emergency Care Room 34, where Ratchet was leaning on a med berth with a defeated expression. But Miko only had eyes to the mech lying on the berth. Bulkhead's offline husk._

"_Bulk!" she cried out. Wheeljack gently dropped her on the berth and she hugged the massive head. "Doc, you can fix him, right?" she asked with pleading, tearful eyes._

_Ratchet looked at her then dropped his head with a hopeless shook._

_Miko sobbed and returned to hug her deceased partner and surrogate big brother. She said something in Japanese that neither 'Bot could make out. It was a promise she once made Bulkhead when he was recuperating from the Tox-En and the missile on his back, courtesy of Hardshell._

"_I will never leave your side again." she had broken that promise._

_End of flashback._

All 'Bots gathered paid their respects to the fallen warrior. The Wreckers all spoke a bit cheerfully how they would bust 'Cons left and right to honor his sacrifice and that sooner rather than later, they would meet him again in the AllSpark. Because Wreckers were never meant to live long.

Team Prime gave more personal farewells. Bulkhead was a Wrecker, but more recently he had become part of the family. Ratchet even half-heartedly joked about who will now break his tools.

Finally came the children's turn. Though Jack and Raf paid their respects, their interaction with Bulkhead had been minimal. It was Miko who did the most remarkable thing. She brought in a flower she had carefully picked up from Jack's fields. It was a pink lilly, very rare to find. Likely the flower was the last of its kind.

She uttered a few words of goodbye in Japanese and said no more. No tears, though. Her eyes had dried up completely.

"'Till all are one, old friend." Optimus finished the ceremony by pulling the lever and Bulkhead was consumed by the lava-hot plasma, like the remains of the Genevans had been, nearly a year ago.

* * *

**At night.**

Wheeljack was sitting on the terrace of a building, looking at the starless sky. Starless because all the light of the Autobot capital outshined every dot. But the Wrecker wasn't focused on stargazing at all.

He heard a tiny pair of footsteps approaching from behind. He recognized who it was immediately and turned to her just to acknowledge.

"Who did it?"

He took his time to answer. It didn't escape him the irony that last time, she had been the one to provide the name of the slaggin' Decepticon who fatally injured Bulkhead.

"Starscream." she frowned and clenched a fist:

"Then let's get him."

He got up and nodded. "You can bet we will. But first you need some extra gear. And I have a crazy idea that might just work."

* * *

**4th November 2013. 1 Year and 2 days AE.**

**Surveillance Office, Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ.**

The room was filled with surveillance video feeds and an archive of gathered information locked under several layers of encryption and security. This was the office of Blaster, the Autobot chief of surveillance and intelligence gathering. The Autobot was vivid red with a yellow compartiment on his chest that kept his last remaining minicon, Steeljaw. Blaster liked music, especially loud music. This made him the equal and opposite of Soundwave.

"Prime, last night we had a robbery in the tightest vault. The one holding the Iacon relics." Blaster spoke with an understandable tone of embarrassment. He was responsible for the safety of those relics, and someone had plundered one without triggering any alarm.

He showed a video feed of a recording of the robbery. Optimus was not the least bit surprised to see Wheeljack hacking the system terminal. Then the video turned to static.

"He shut down all the cameras, alarms and defense systems. Could have taken all the relics but only helped himself with the Apex Armor." Blaster showed another video, this time a current feed of the relics still on their shielded shelves. Except for an empty one.

"I can phantom a guess why Wheeljack took the armor. As we have tested it before, it fits on Minicons." Optimus made a call to the humans. "Jack, where is Miko?"

"_Gone._" Jack sounded defeated and disappointed in himself, much like Blaster. "_I was checking her last night and she wasn't in her bed._"

"Do not blame yourself, we will find her and Wheeljack." Optimus ended the call and addressed the surveillance chief. "The same goes for you, Blaster. When a Wrecker puts a goal in mind, they are virtually impossible to dissuade."

Optimus exited the palace, transformed and rolled to the ship docks. He entered the Xanthium which was to be fixed of the minor damage it took on the ill-fated mission to Pico. The Xanthium had also been scenario of a robbery the previous night, by the same mech. Wheeljack had commandeered the shuttle Madhammer.

"Springer," Ultra Magnus had arrived before and demanded the Wrecker leader to cooperate in finding the renegade Wrecker. "as I recall, the Madhammer has a built-in tracing device that allows you to pinpoint its location."

"Not today." Springer shook his head. "Wheeljack had the foresight of masking the signal. We can't track him."

Ultra Magnus wanted to push further but Optimus, who made a silent entrance, placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"If the Wreckers have no way to track down Wheeljack, then there is no purpose in persisting this inquisition. We can only wait until Wheeljack returns to us."

Ultra Magnus wanted to protest that allowing a rebellious Autobot to go AWOL would give a bad image to others. But Optimus' expression offered no room for argument. Though Ultra Magnus strove not to probe into other people's emotion, his CO had an aura of mental weariness. That troubled the dedicated Commander a great deal.

When the two look-alikes left and the Wreckers were scure no one was eavesdropping them on their warship, Moonracer whispered to Springer:

"Wheeljack never scrambled the Madhammer's signal. Why did you lie to Magnus?"

Springer looked at her and to each one of his comrades, letting out a sigh. "You all know I'm not a diehard stickler for protocol, though lying to a superior officer took a great deal of effort. But I know that had we stopped Wheeljack from doing this, he would only go to more extremes lengths to avenge Bulk. Lengths that I fear, would involve resisting detention or even assaulting a senior officer. Bulk and Jackie were like brother even before joining our team.

"When he comes back - make no mistake, I said 'when' and not 'if' - I'll come clean to Magnus and Prime and face the music. If only to spare Wheeljack further prosecution."

* * *

"Sir," Ultra Magnus started. "forgive me for overstepping my place, but I believe Springer wasn't completely forthcoming with the truth. Why did you prevent me?"

"Because, old friend, Wheeljack will stop at nothing to avenge Bulkhead. Such thing is not unprecedented, as you may have read in our record logs." Magnus nodded at this. He had kept himself well informed on Team Prime's previous activities and missions. "And I have reason to believe Miko has joined him."

Now Magnus was furious. "Not only has Wheeljack broken Autobot code by going on a revenge spree but also has deliberately endangered a human!"

"Ultra Magnus," Optimus stopped whatever tirade his Commander may or may not have wanted to unleash upon Wheeljack's name. "we will make no attempt to track or apprehend Wheeljack. When his and Miko's thirst for revenge has been sated, they shall return even knowing there will be a reckoning for their actions."

"So, we just..._wait_?" Ultra Magnus was quite disappointed. Optimus Prime had always been more patient than him, but he was never lenient to undisciplined soldiers. "Why? Even if the Xanthium can't track them - which I still believe to be a misconception - surely we have other methods."

"Ultra Magnus, I require time to think." Optimus said in a tone that spelled out this discussion was ended. "Please, in the meanwhile maintain the status quo."

If Ultra Magnus wanted to argue, he made no objections and saluted. Optimus transformed and drove back to the Palace of Nations to issue one last order before going to his musings.

"Fireblade," he contact the ancient Autobot femme warrior and her team stationed on Lisboa. "I have one assignment for you and your soldiers."

"_We're listening, Prime._" she replied.

"As you know, the Decepticon fortress on Pico still stands, albeit damaged. The Wreckers managed to penetrate its defenses but were unable to destroy its capacity to supply the long-range weapon the enemy is striving to instal there."

"_And you want us to finish the job, now._" she summarized.

"Precisely. According to Springer's report, the fortress was equipped with large magnetic lift-poles. But his team had the foresight of destroying them."

"_So that was how they planned to keep me at bay._" she deduced. Magnetic lift-pole were large post-like structures that use magnetism to lift heavy solid loads of metal. Designed to affect only large pieces of metal that surpass a certain mass. In construction, they were the Cybertronian version of cranes. In warfare they could be used to attract or repel exaggeratedly large 'Bots like Fireblade herself. "_Very well, we will tear it down._"

"But pay care, old one. Wheeljack and the young Miko will be there."

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Decepticon fortress, Pico Island.**

"Put your backs into it!" Starscream barked. "The conclusion of the neutron cannon is the most important of all."

The fortress was now filled with drones, this time not all of them workers. Megatron had sent a good enough number of Vehicon warriors to defend the place. Though most were workers, all chaffing to repair the damage. But most were focused on the completion of the long-range neutron cannon, the very reason the base was put together in the first place.

Starscream pestered the drones to work faster before taking his leave. Blasted stupid, sluggish Vehicons, could never get things done quick enough.

The sound of a quick step stopped his train of thought. Starscream looked around him to find nothing and shrugged it off.

He returned to the new command center, an improvised C'n'C since the original one was still in ruins, work of the Xanthium ship. From there, the Seeker passed the time inspecting the surveillance monitors. The minutes soon turned dull as he found nothing better to do than occasionally bossing the Vehicons to work faster.

"_Commander, we are endeavouring as fast as mechly possible._" the chief Vehicon in charged of the neutron cannon replied.

"I am he who decides who is working to their fullest, and who is not. And I say…" whatever Starscream was about to say never came out. The image on the monitor was taken over by static. But the audio kept coming. He heard startled shouts from the drones, then dying screams and at last, silence.

"What on Primus?" he sputtered. "Respond now, worker. Respond, that's an order!"

No reply was forthcoming.

"Security!" he looked to another screen, where the garrison of armed troops were stationed. "We have intruders! Find them and exterminate them."

As if the Universe was playing a prank on him, that monitor was also filled with static. Starscream heard again surprised shouts. This time there was the sound of a short firefight. Then the dying screams followed by utter quiet, all over again.

"All personnel, respond. We are under…" Starscream gasped in frightened shock. Every monitor, one by one, was filled with static. He raced to the comm terminal to contact other Decepticons. "New Kaon, this is Commander Starscream requesting immediate reinforcements. New Kaon, respond! Ristvak'baen, respond! ANYONE!?"

Unbeknownst to him, the communication relays outside had been destroyed.

For all Starscream knew, he was the last living Decepticon on the fortress. All his worker and trooper forces had been mysteriously mowed down by some unknown foe. If the Seeker had seen any human horror films, this scene would strike him as sort of cliché but creepy.

He turned to the door to the command center, feeling chills up his spinal strut. Had he just heard footsteps outside, or was it his imagination playing pranks on him? Should he venture outside, or stay inside?

Blast it, he was a Decepticon Commander, for Spark's sake! No simpleton Autobot saboteur would dare to face him alone. Slightly reassured, he exited the command center, arm missiles at ready. The illuminated hallway was silent and deserted.

"Uh," he sighed in relief, almost laughing at his own wariness. "I knew they wouldn't dare provoke my might."

Then the lights turned off and the door shut closed. In a blink of an eye, Starscream was left alone in the dark. All the fear and trepidation came back with a vengeance. Sputtering to himself, the Seeker activated his blasters.

"W-who's there? Reveal yourself and face me, coward." Starscream staggered back until he came into contact with _something_ standing just behind him.

First rule of horror movies, never look behind you. But the Decepticon SIC never saw horror movies. He turned around and even in the dark, the red light of his optics was enough to give a clear distinction of Wheeljack's face.

"You!" Starscream could have leaped out of his skin, if he had it. He staggered back, blasters pointed but he knocked back against some _other_ thing. Again he made the mistake of turning to see whom or what.

Miko Nakadai was looking at him, optic-level, grafted in the Apex Armor. Starscream could only gape at her before the armor's massive fist collided with his torso. He was hurled to Wheeljack who sliced with his sabers and drew two deep cuts in the Seeker's back.

Starscream cried out, though not that much. The constant beatings he had endured from Megatron did have the perk of increasing his resilience to pain, somewhat. But the human and the Wrecker were not being any kinder than his liege.

Miko bent his arm behind his back and launched herself on top of him. The Seeker whined at the pain of being crushed under the heavy armor with an arm twisted. It didn't help that Miko was purposefully sinking his own claws on the injuries Wheeljack gave him. She proceeded to lift him up in the air and threw him to Wheeljack. The white Wrecker gave a roundhouse kick in the face so powerful it broke his left optic. Half-blinded, Starscream couldn't see as Miko grabbed him by the foot and beaten him against the floor. Like someone does to a rug to remove accumulated dust.

Finally she dropped him, though not for fatigue. Starscream's vision showed many warning signs of trauma, but he would survive. Nonetheless, he wasn't eager to continue this:

"Alright!" he raised his servos in surrender. The faces of his captors looked at him with passionless expressions. "I give up. By Autobot law, I am now your prisoner."

"Prisoner?" Wheeljack's deadpan morphed into growing rage. "Did you take Bulkhead prisoner?"

"Uh...but he was beyond saving. What I did was a mercy!" he implored but both could see the reject Decepticon was lying. Letting his anger take control for just a second, Wheeljack swiftly amputated his left arm with one sword and the wing with the other.

Starscream cried out like never before. Never before had he endured the cold, sharp pain of losing an arm and a precious wing. Wheeljack shut him up by kicking at his mouth viciously. He would have beaten the living Spark out of that pile of slag, but Miko put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Let him go, Jackie." at hearing this, Starscream made a ghost of a painful smile. Thanks to the human's cowardice to finish him, he would survive this! That hope faltered when she added. "He's mine, now."

Wheeljack nodded and moved back, to allow Miko to kneel to look at Starscream in the optic.

"Do you know what it felt like? When you killed Bulkhead?" instead of waiting for an answer - if the Seeker could even verbally reply, so injure he was -, she buried a hand on his chest. Like Cliffjumper and Bulkhead, Starscream's wrecked face showed pain and helplessness. Miko reached the hot, round organ inside. But instead of piercing it, she violently ripped the still beating Sark out. Then crushed it and commented:

"It felt like this."

Starscream's optics went offline, permanently. She stood a few seconds in contemplation and recalled what she once told Jack, about a year ago.

_"When I snuffed Hardshell, I did it not only to save Wheeljack, but also to avenge Bulk. I wanted that scrapeater to burn. I thought I would feel great afterwards; I didn't. I feel no remorse for killing that oversized cockroach, but there's no satisfaction, either."_

This time she did it exclusively for revenge. To avenge Bulkhead, but also to avenge Earth and her parents and friends. All those who died when this pile of scrap helped Megatron getting his dirty hands on the Omega Lock.

This time, like before, she felt no joy nor pleasure in killing. But she felt something else. Something she hadn't when she blasted that oversized bug.

Satisfaction.

"We better get out of here, kid. Fireblade and her team will be here any klik to tear this scrapheap apart." Wheeljack whispered.

When they left on the Madhammer back to Geneva, Fireblade indeed saw them leave. But made no attempt to apprehend or contact them. There was no point.

* * *

**5th November 2013. 1 Year and 3 days AE.**

**Palace of Nations, Geneva.**

Neither avenger expected a hero welcoming. Not even a friendly welcoming. Wheeljack was immediately arrested and sentenced to discharge of duty for five deca-cycles in the brig, with minimal energon. Springer came forward, admitting he had lied to Ultra Magnus about not knowing of the Madhammer's coordinates. His sentence was of ten deca-cycles. Neither mech seemed bothered by the punishment given by the Commander. Ultra Magnus would be in charge of the Wreckers for the time being.

Miko, being no Autobot, was simply scolded by Optimus. Then he promptly forbade her from leaving the Palace of Nations for the same amount of time as Wheeljack's discharge. That would be about fifty days, but she didn't let that bother her.

Restricted to the headquarters, she was now burning incense sticks before a tiny makeshift shrine with Bulkhead's picture. It was the Japanese tradition, the very least she could do. Miko had never been one for tradition, she always said:

"_There are tons of other people in Japan who follow tradition. They won't miss me not doing it._" but considering she was the last Japanese left...

The door opened smoothly. She didn't turn to meet Jack and Rafael, who silently approached her. When she finally met them, they embraced her into a hug. She melted into the hug, giving a sideways look to the shrine. There was Bulkhead smiling, wrecking ball out, in a badass pose.

"Sayonara, Bulk."

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Had Megatron ever paid any heed to human culture, he would have recognized the feeling he was having as a 'deja vu'. The Insecticons who had scoured the smoking remains of the fortress on Pico island returned with the sparkless husk of Starscream. The leader of the Decepticons felt strangely baffled - though not at all sad - to see the remains of his first lieutenant.

Starscream, the sycophant, was a survivor. Through his machinations, pathetic grovelling and begging he had narrowly survived many things. Anyone else who knows of his life-story as well as Megatron would have believed it impossible for something so pitiful to have cheated death so many times. Not so different from Megatron himself, after a fashion. Both were survivors of different kinds.

Another reason was that Megatron had believed himself to be the executioner of Starscream, should he ever attempt to follow an agenda of his own against him. Alas, it was not meant to be.

The Insecticon was about to speak but Megatron silenced him with one hand.

"Let me guess, it was the human girl who did this."

"Yes, my liege." the insect roared. Megatron nodded in plain understanding; that bit of information didn't surprise him. He turned away from the cadaver and his present subordinates to gaze into the rising moon in the dark sky.

"I shall mourn Starscream for the exact amount of time that I appreciated his existence." less than a second passed. "I'm done now. Cyclonus!"

"My master." the living Commander stepped out of the shadows and bowed.

"Congratulations, you have just been promoted to First Lieutenant. I strongly advise you though, to choose your enemies better than your predecessor." he pointed to the carcass.

* * *

**Geneva.**

Optimus Prime stood by the lake, clouded in his thoughts. Memories of his millions of years of life surfaced on moments of sound peace such as this. Optimus in essence never actually had peace. He carried with him the burden of an entire war. Even if the conflict ended tomorrow, he would still carry it. It was too much fighting, too much death, too much energon spilled.

The last Prime sighed. For now his Autobots knew not to disturb him. His Autobots...his processor turned its attention to all who have put their trust and their lives on his servos. Too many to be all remembered, now. This war had brought too much death for it all to be accounted by just himself.

Thousands of Autobots and Decepticons perished in the War for Cybertron, even when the planet still lived. Once their homeworld went offline, even more passed away. Now the entire human race had joined the toll.

More recently, he noticed, the people Optimus had fought and lived beside all perished: Cliffjumper, June, Fowler, Jazz and Bulkhead. Cliffjumper and Bulkhead suffered the fate that a great many do in war. June and Fowler were victims of his failure to save Earth in time. And Jazz...he remembered what Prowl had told him. How his oldest friend had died...pierced by Cyclonus' sword.

"'Till all are one, old friends." he whispered solemnly. Once again he found himself looking at his past actions and mistakes. Maybe having stopped the Omega Lock sooner would have spared all this unwanted death.

...No.

Optimus had asked himself that many times in the last year. He grasped now that wasn't the right answer. He should not have attempted to stop the Omega Lock sooner. He should have stopped _Megatron_ sooner.

"_You know what your problem is, Optimus?_" he remembered Ratchet's berating when he was afflicted with synthetic energon. "_For such a big, strong 'Bot, you're soft. You didn't pound Megatron into scrap when you had the chance!_"

Ratchet had admitted his words to be impulsive and thoughtless, but Optimus recognized traces of honesty in them. Indeed he had been too forgiving with Megatron, thousands of years before. And look what that brought him: billions dead, Humans and Cybertronians and two planets deceased.

"I have been weak." he frowned lifting his gaze to west, where he knewthousands of mileswas Megatron. "But no more."

* * *

**Palace of Nations, War Council Room.**

Optimus had summoned a meeting with his lieutenants and most trusted advisors in the most secured room on Geneva. There were Ultra Magnus as Autobot SIC, Ratchet as CMO and Ironhide, a veteran soldier and loyal advisor.

As for newer faces, there was Rodimus Major, commander of a large force of Autobots who had been living on some distant planet before arriving on Earth. Prowl, also another high-rank Autobot and close advisor of the Prime. Blaster, the Autobot chief of surveillance and intelligence gathering. And Perceptor, chief scientist and supervisor of industry.

"Autobots, it has come to my attention we are not performing to the best of our abilities to win this war."

There was a pause. If this was a Decepticon meeting, Megatron would surely blame his soldiers. But that was not Optimus Prime.

"From this point on, every resource we have will be conducted to the discovery of the Decepticons' places of power and their destruction." Optimus turned to Blaster. "I want you to work on the placement of spy rings on New Kaon. We must discover the weaknesses of their city."

"Understood." Blaster nodded.

"Ironhide, begin composing drill exercises for our troops. I want every Autobot battle ready."

"You'll have it, Prime." the veteran replied.

"Perceptor, all industries are to work at maximum efficiency. We will require better weapons, ships and battle-armors."

"It will be done."

Optimus, gazing at everyone present, announced: "Just as the humans used to say, this war is to the knife."

* * *

Next chapter will contain something many of you have been asking since the beginning.


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR NOTE: I'm sorry for the delay but I have suffered a great inconvenient recently: car accident. The paperwork and stress was a killer. No worries, nobody got hurt or worse.**

**tyron15:** Thank you, that is exactly the impression I try to make. The stories who have grim events usually are better when you serve them with a pinch of humourus salt. And some drops of comedy orange.

**Gabby M**: Don't you worry because there will be no more major character untimely death. Unless they're villains. I may kill some beloved major characters in the future, but those will be deaths by natural causes.

**Mazamba **and** feelzyfeelz**: There will be no transorganics. Though Predacons will appear much later. Among some other things. As for JackxMiko, I don't ship much of anything. Romance just isn't my thing. But please read this chapter and then don't forget to the notes on the bottom. You'll understand then.

**LuisJM**: I like your idea but I will not use it, sorry. First of all, the kids will not be altered. I already have the plot decided and that plan would go against it. Though one of them -no spoilers yet- will be terribly sick in the future and the others will race against time to find the medicine. Still, I have to say your idea is quite interesting, manages to improve humans without losing their humanity. I think you should capitalize on that. Make your own world with it.

**Juxshoa**: Sorry but this Blades is the bad boy G1 guy and the last of the Protectobots.. The Rescue Bots are part of the Aligned continuity just as TF:Prime is but in my world, they don't exist. So no Rescue Bots. But if they did existed on this fict, the Burns family would most likely be dead and the Rescue Bots would join Prime officially.

**Guest**: Usually when I get a request that I don't care about or I find stupid, I simply igNore it. But you have been pestering me for such a long time and apparently don't get the silent hint. There will be NO JackxArcee. Period. Like I said in the near beginning of the fict, human and cybertronian biology don't mix. So how could two different species find romantic love? Besides, Arcee is millions of years old! Get it now?!

This chapter will go over a large time-leap, coupled with the one year that passed on the last chapters. From now on, Jack and Miko are adults and Raf almost there. Jack - 21 / Miko - 20 / Raf - 16 (soon to be 17)

* * *

**21st August 2018. 5 Years and 290 days AE.**

**Woodbridge Township, Decepticon Observation post, Frontier of New Kaon.**

Jack Darby felt an urge to scratch his chin but ignored it. When his pointy goatee grew too much it often hitched. From his hideout, he saw through a crevice the two Decepticons standing guard on the entrance of the watchtower. Their optics were quite visible in the dark, warm night.

He brought the flash-stun rifle and looked through the electronic crosshairs, aiming at the left 'Con's face. The gun, usually utilized by minicons but modified for human use, was something Jack had grown to hold as a signature weapon. He pulled the trigger and the flash of energy hit the drone guard in the face, stunning its sight and other senses. In a flash of a nanosecond, he pointed and fired at the face of the other guard, before he could react at his partner's affliction.

"If only Arcee had been here to see that double shot." he whispered. His guardian had worked him to the bone to improve his marksmanship.

He leaped off his hiding place and broke into a run. He had raced many times before with his gear and rifle and had grown used to the extra weight. Before the blinded Vehicons could recover, Jack sneaked behind them and stabbed a pair grenades on their pedes with reflexes of a cat. They detonate, causing major injuries and energon leaks that forced them into stasis.

"Timber." he whispered with a shark smile, careful to avoid being flattened by the two falling giants.

Jack wasted no time and entered the watchtower via the conduits used the transport energon cubes. The Omega Lock had also granted the architecture in here the walkways meant for protoforms, that were perfect for human uses. Unfortunately, two years ago Megatron had them all removed from Decepticon infrastructure when he learnt the 'three human pests' were using them to assist the Autobots.

Still the main advantage of being so small is that they rarely notice you.

He reached the control room, pleased to find it void of 'Cons or surveillance. Walk in the park. using his grapple-cable, Jack lifted himself up to the keyboard of the mainframe. There was a tactical map of the area in a dozen of miles radius. These watchtowers were what kept all invasion attempts far away from New Kaon. The Decepticon capital was surrounded by all sides with watchtowers, keeping a thorough eye on the ground, sky and energon ocean.

"_Not anymore._" he thought and talked to the comm-link firmly attached to the back of his hand. "I'm good to go."

"_Same here._" responded Arcee who had infiltrated another watchtower. "_On the count of three. One...two...three!_"

Simultaneously, they both patched a cybertronian drive into the respective mainframes, Jack obviously used a human-sized one. The two drives contained a virus, courtesy of Blaster and Raf, that would slip past the firewalls and smuggle much needed data to the Autobots.

"Alright." when the procedure was done, Jack retrieved the drive. No evidences were to be left behind.

The metal floor shook with echoing, a thunder-like echo of footsteps. Jack hid right before a yellow Decepticon with purple optics and a blaster attached to his arm walked in. He recognized the 'Con as Swindle, con-artist and arms dealer of the Combaticons. Swindle was probably in charge of this watchtower, meaning he had seen the knocked out guards outside and came in to inspect. Jack held his breath as Swindle scanned the room. When he was done, he shrugged it off and left.

Jack exhaled in relief. Time to move out and rendezvous with Arcee.

Outside, he used the debris scattered all over the ground to conceal his escapade, by skipping from one pile of rubble to the other. If only Decepticons bothered to keep their streets cleaner. Not for the first time, Jack was thankful for typical Decepticon public hygiene.

"Human!"

"Oh, scrap." Jack cursed his luck and the two Vehicons who spotted him. He quickened his pace to maximum as the drones began shooting. The man had the foresight of running a bit to the left. Why? Because Vehicons' aim tended to be slightly askew to the right.

One of them was able to shot the spot behind Jack, throwing him away. Jack landed nearby another pile of rubble on his front. His back felt hot from the deadly blow he narrowly avoided. The rumble in his ears died fast, leaving only a small headache.

"Did we get it?" he heard one of the drones approaching on the spot they fired, looking for any remains of the human's body. Not that any remains would have survived vaporization if the shot had hit him.

Jack glanced his chance; he had a clear albeit narrow sightline of the 'Cons' faces. Charging up the flash-stun rifle, he nailed the nearest 'Con looking at the smoking crater. He quickly shifted the aim to the other drone but never got the chance to pull the trigger. For said Vehicon was decapitated from behind and fell forwards, revealing an upset Arcee with arm-blades out.

"Every time I leave you out of my sight, you manage to plunge yourself into a scrapheap."

"Hey, interesting stuff happens when I'm alone." he retorted, Arcee approached him and transformed.

"Like when you hid in between Brawl's toes and clinged to his leg?" she fired back. He hopped in and she took off. Despite having this little friendly spat, they both kept attention to their surroundings. They were still in enemy territory.

"It took him over an hour to notice me, though. You know how thick in the head that 'Con is."

"Whatever. I swear, Miko is rubbing off on you. Now let's get out of here."

They rolled east, trying to cross the limit of the groundbridge scrambler that encircled New Kaon and its surrounding watchtower perimeter. No Autobot bridges could be opened in enemy territory, otherwise Optimus would have ordered an assault on the city long ago.

When they crossed the border, Arcee contacted Geneva and requested a bridge. Mission accomplished.

* * *

**Megatronus' Claw (fka Atlantic City), Decepticon city.**

"_Gotta love these Autobot customized sniper rifles._" Miko thought with glee, aiming her high precision rifle at her designated target. "_Could even shoot a fly a mile away...or would if they weren't extinct._"

Megatronus' Claw, once known as Atlantic City, was the largest Decepticon energon refinery settlement after New Kaon. More than half of its production was exported to the capital. New Kaon was an impregnable fortress partly because of the resources used to feed it.

Miko found herself hiding in the ceiling of the main refinery of Megatronus' Claw, which was the Wreckers' target of the day. Optimus wanted put a strain on New Kaon before the Autobots do something major. In the previous days, the Wreckers had been flying over North America and picking on Decepticon energon sources, piecemeal. This one in Megatronus' Claw was their last assigned target.

"_Forget all arounds. See only the target._" she recited in her head, just as her instructor Moonracer taught.

Said target was a bulky Decepticon with fists big enough to smash a giant bolder into dust. His name was Knucklebuster, military governor and administrator of Megatronus' Claw. A ruthless 'Con who made sure his servants worked to their best, or were molten into slag. The thing about Knucklebuster, he only hired dumb muscle as his enforcers because he believed he had all the brain required. Which, to an extent, is true. So taking out the brain leader, leaves only the uncoordinated, uncooperative dumb muscle.

"You better get your servos working faster!" Knucklebuster scowled at the workers, his security forces constantly on the look out. Except they didn't look up. Wrecker fact number 1: guards never look up. "With the blasted Autobots scum blowing up refineries, we need to double production sent to New Kaon. Or else I'll start slashing on your rations to spare energon!"

Typical Decepticon tyranny disguised as so-called leadership. Mounting the rifle on her shoulder, Miko took a deep breath before placing her finger on the trigger. She grinned when aimed at the berating 'Con's head. One more slagger to her kill-count.

"Sayonara, baby." she fired and the thin but potent missile made a rapid, near-instantaneously b-line for Knucklebuster's head, which exploded into nothing bigger than a spoon. He never saw it coming.

Knucklebuster's limp, lifeless, headless shell crumbled, a thunder echoed when his fists hit the ground. Already the startled workers halted their task in utter shock. The enforcers began grunting like mad dogs who lost their owner, looking around for the potential sniper. And still none of them thought of looking up. Instead they just began pushing away the workers, tearing down walls. One was even threatening a pair of laborers Knucklebuster had been berating, claiming they had done it.

"Really dumb muscle." Miko muttered. Still incognita, she used her backhand comm-link to radio her teammates. "Bring the rain."

That was the code signal. The Wreckers came bursting out of several void energon tanks, where they had arrived inside the facility in secrecy. All hell broke loose.

"Time to wreck and ruin!" Miko did not leave her privileged position. Like Moonracer said, even in an all-out battle, she could score some headshots from a distance. As long as she didn't hit her friends. To snipe enemies in a opened battle, it's best to shoot the big ones; there's more to shoot and they tend to be the slowest.

"Sayonara, baby." she sniped the head of another massive 'Con, a gorilla-like freak with four arms. This one's helm was so thick, the shot only knocked him in stasis but it was worth it.

"HUMAN!" one of the goons spotted her.

"About time they looked up." she muttered. The 'Con's arm transformed into a missile launcher and fired at her spot. Without hesitation, Miko leaped off her place and began falling towards the floor. It was an over fifty-foot drop, enough to kill her.

But Miko wasn't worried, for Wheeljack caught her in mid-air before the speed of fall became fatal. Wreckers look out for one another.

"You okay, Miko?"

"Was I ever in trouble?" she retorted.

Wheeljack dropped her on a high place where she could fire from a concealed position. Over the years, Miko came to prefer shooting over punching. And occasionally throwing a miniature version of Wheeljack homemade grenades.

But that wasn't all of her purpose. Miko took a simple passive participation in the firefight, while sneaking into the filled refined energon tank. The workers had all dispersed and were on the process to call for reinforcements. Soon the Wreckers would be up to their neck cables.

"Here's your course meal." she removed from her bag a very special timed-bomb. Something Rafael and Wheeljack had worked around the clock to make it potent and small enough for a human to hide and carry. None of the 'Cons in this city would know what hit them. Miko activated it and tossed into the tank.

"Five minutes!" she said to herself the exact amount of time they had to get out. Running back to the firefight, Miko had to deal with a few security minicon drones on her way.

"Easy peasy." she engaged the drones with a combination of hand-to-hand fighting and close-quarters firearms. Just like their Vehicon cousins, these minicons were more expendable than dependable.

It came as no surprise to see the fight was over. The Deceptigoons were all shut down for good, as this refinery would be in less than five minutes and counting.

"We better scram before Cons start raining."

"Oh, come on. The more reinforcements they send, the more damage we can wreck." the yearning fighter Hot Shot protested.

"What she means, kiddo, is that the 'Cons will be raining in pieces." Springer clarified and pushed a button, activating a groundbridge for their ship, Xanthium. They raced in right before more 'Con goons burst in and the swirling vortex closed.

The Xanthium was concealed by the environment, several miles from Megatronus' Claw. Springer piloted the ship to take off, but they wouldn't leave just yet. The Wreckers wanted to see their work been completed. When the Xanthium became stationary in the sky, providing a good view of the Decepticon city, all members went to the bridge to see.

"Wait for it." Miko pulled out a pair of binoculars. Two minutes passed and then…

BOOOOOM!

The refinery detonated like a small nuke, an half-sphere of light expanding up and outwards, engulfing the center of the city. The yield of the bomb had been greatly enhanced by the tank of purified energon. It had to be because raw energon is hardly combustible.

"Now that is some stylish Decepticon barbecue."

"Shorty, I don't know what a barbecue is, but I think I like it." Hot Shot complimented her. And just as Springer promised, parts of 'Cons who were not completely atomized came rising in the air like piroclastos from a volcano. And just like those, the smoking parts came falling back down leaving trails of smoke in their descent.

"Puts a whole new shine on the word 'fireworks'!" Wheeljack grinned smugly.

* * *

**Groundbridge Nexus, Geneva, Autobot Capital.**

The transport terminal was a large dome, situated where the airport of the city once was. Two groundbridges opened in the transport nexus the Technobots had built three years ago. With several bridges at their disposal, it increased the Autobot's efficiency and speed of mobilization.

"Recognized. Arcee and Jack in coming on Bridge B." the operator announced and the groundbridge identified with a large B on the tunnel lighted up. Arcee emerged with Jack Darby driving.

"How did it go?" asked one other operator, a much smaller one.

"Mission accomplished, Raf." Jack dismounted his partner and climbed on the stairs to Rafael Esquivel's work station. Puberty had brought a great many changes to Rafael. No longer nearsighted, the boy had grown to be taller than Jack was in his teens, though less muscled. He kept his hair short to not interfere with his work. There were traces of freckles, now disappearing.

"When is Miko ETA?"

"In eighteen hours, lover boy." Raf gave a knowing smirk. "Come on, don't make that face. It's obvious that you and Miko are an item."

"What? What are you saying? Miko and I have just..."

"Puh-lease, you can't fool me with that cat look. Why else would you guys change your rooms to a far away house on the fields?"

Jack found no plausible answer to that and was eternally grateful to Arcee who came to ask Raf:

"Any news from Optimus?" it didn't seem she had overheard the humans chatting. It was not Rafael who replied, but rather a new voice no one had heard before:

"He's preparing to depart with Blaster and Perceptor to investigate a recent discovery. On what was once the Dead Sea." from a corridor entered Bumblebee, grinning for the first time since Megatron took his voice away.

"Thanks, Bumblebee" Arcee uttered distractedly. Only then she realized the scout had spoken in verbal language and not in code. "Bumblebee, your voice!"

"That's right, 'Cee. I got my pipes back! Ratchet had been working for some time on a voice-box for me."

"Hey, how come I didn't know about it? I'm your partner." Raf quirked an eyebrow in mock-anger.

"Someone's jealous." Jack remarked under his breath.

"Wanted to make a surprise." Bee's grin could have split his head apart. "I asked Ratchet to keep it a secret."

"Guess now you can speak directly to Miko and I."

"Yeah, speaking of which, there's something I've been wanting to tell you." Bee addressed the man entirely. "Jack, for your sake, drop that ridiculous pointy goatee. Makes you look like Starscream."

"Starscream?!" Jack glared agape and offended.

* * *

**One hour later.**

**Dead Sea, Israeli border.**

"Optimus, you said earlier this patch of liquid used to be a hipersaline lake, its water so dense the native humans could easily float." Perceptor asked, ever curious to know more.

"Indeed. This lake was so saline that no life form, save for hardy microbes, could dwell in it, thus earning its name. Since ancient human times, the Dead Sea has been an attraction of great interest." Optimus gave a brief resume, having read about the old human homeworld since his arrivals many years previous.

"If you ask me, now it's even more interesting." Blaster said with a bit of awe.

When the Omega Lock cyberformed Earth, the oceans became liquid, seemingly unending reservoirs of raw energon. The poles turned into the solid raw matter. Some freshwater lakes, interestingly, became refined energon, already perfect for consuming. It seemed to be the connection: salt water equals raw energon; fresh water equals good energon. Following that line of thought, one would imagine the Dead Sea would be a reservoir of such impure energon it would be very expensive and impractical to refine it.

But actually it was quite the other way around. Instead of a place glowing blue like raw energon does, the Dead Sea glowed golden. It was obvious this was not regular energon.

"Allow me just a nano-cycle." Perceptor approached the border and collected a sample in a vial, being especially cautious not to let it touch his chassis. A scientist never lets himself be fooled if something is pleasant to the optic. Like every unknown chemical, it could have nefarious effects. He proceeded to make several thorough scans until he stopped with amazement written all over his face.

"By the Primes!"

"What have you discovered?"

"Just a moment, Optimus. I must confirm these readings." Perceptor repeated the scans two more times to make sure it was not a glitch on his equipment. "Unbelievable."

"Come on, the curiosity is killing us." Blaster groaned. Perceptor turned to them, still awestruck.

"My friends, what we have here is a supply of Super Energon."

Stunned silence.

"Wow, really. You mean all that stuff about super energon is real. Like its gives a super strenght boost, lots of smarts and incredible good looks? Rad!" Blaster's excitement broke the silence.

"No, Blaster. Two of those are but urban myths." Perceptor deadpanned. "But it has been scientifically proven that super energon is up to three times more energizing than regular energon and sharpens the senses. Unfortunately, it does not grant speed, as only the red variant does."

"Nevertheless, this resource could be the key to win our planned invasion of New Kaon." Optimus mused. "Perceptor, you will be in charge of uncovering whatever potential uses we may have for this super energon. If we can safely consume it, use for ammunition or medical, the casualties could be greatly diminished."

"Yes, Optimus. I will take a large enough sample to the Ministry of Science for analysis and trial." the chief scientist got to work, filling a container with the golden liquid.

"Blaster, you have performed excellently by finding the super energon."

"Gee, don't make me blush, Prime." Blaster joked but Optimus ignored him and had his gaze turned to west. While the other two were somewhat distracted, he was not when he glimpsed a moving dot far on the horizon.

"Autobots, sharpen your audio receptors." Optimus ordered. "We have in-coming."

"Decepticon scout, maybe?" Blaster saw the dot.

"Possibly. Megatron may have detected the super energon and sent a scout to investigate." Perceptor opined.

Optimus hummed. He zoomed in as best as he could. Though still unclear, the vehicle was a motorcycle of sorts, but it didn't look of Earth. Yet, it didn't appear to be Cybertronian either. It looked like some demented repairing drone had armored a motorcycle with hardy parts to give the vehicle a stronger, bulkier design.

One other thing stood out. This potential, misshapen Decepticon was using a holoform. But why? Humans are extinct, so the 'robots in disguise' protocol was null and void.

"Blaster, investigate. We will remain out of sight."

"Got it, Optimus. Steeljaw, eject and roll!" like his counterpart Soundwave, a part of Blaster's armor - the yellow on his chest - leaped off of him and transformed into a wolf-sabertooth-like cybertronian creature. "Go boy, but remember to sniff, not bite."

The minicon snarled and took off, rapidly running on all fours. Steeljaw took cover in the environment and move ever closer to the incoming unknown without tipping them off of his approach.

"Optimus, why send only a minicon to evaluate a potential hostile?" Perceptor asked but Optimus was not forthcoming.

"Steeljaw has a vis on the so-called Decepticon scout." Blaster reported, showing a video of Steeljaw's vision on the vizor in his chest.

Optimus paused before making his decision. "Have him reveal himself. But no aggression."

Both scientist and spymaster looked agape to the last Prime. It was the spymaster who protested: "Big O, you want Steeljaw to just jump on them and do nothing. Like just shouting 'surprise!'?"

"Blaster, trust me." Optimus gave him the famous Prime look. The look of stern authority that no Autobot, even the rebellious Grimlock, could disobey to.

"Okay, Prime. Here it goes." Blaster sent the order to his last minicon, afraid that he would lose him like he lost the others.

The video showed the unknown Decepticon halting in a jolt when Steeljaw leaped in front of its way. Then the unexpected to Blaster and Perceptor (though not so unexpected to the Prime) happened; the Decepticon crashed as its holoform...leaped off of the vehicle?!

"Primus, the holoform just disconnected from that Decepticon. And said the Decepticon appears to be in stasis. But the holoform still moves." Perceptor frowned. The video showed the vehicle had crashed against a rocky formation, though still intact. And the holoform, covered in leather and an helmet, moved away from the unmoving Steeljaw. Like it was actually afraid.

"Call off Steeljaw, now." Optimus ordered and Balster happily obliged. "As I hopped that was no Decepticon nor its protoform. That is a human."

Optimus went for his comm. "Optimus Prime to Geneva, we require a groundbridge immediately. And have Rafael and Jack ready to meet us."

* * *

Adeline Baudin just couldn't believe what this day had turned out to be. What started with a simple east patrol to scavenge supplies, she met the first remotely living thing she had in two years: a giant yellow metal wolf!

But the robot wolf just stood there...and then left. Could it all have just happened in her head?

"Maudit mirage!" she cursed the robot-wolf mirage and went to inspect her ride. No damage sustained due to the blindage.

Suddenly, the sound of revving engines startled her. After meeting a metal wolf (even if it was just her imagination), she was in no mood for more tricks played by her mind. Adeline looked north to see two vehicles approaching. A yellow muscle car and a blue motorcycle, each driven by the first humans she had seen in two years.

"Mon Dieu!"

* * *

"Remember guys, stick with vehicle mode."

"We know, Jack." Arcee sighed. "Not like Bumblebee and I want to give her an heart attack."

When Optimus demanded Jack and Rafael to meet him in the bridge nexus, they were certainly not expecting another human. For over five years, they thought they were the all that remains of humanity.

The surprise, the joy was overwhelming. The boy and the man couldn't believe that after getting used to their...rarity, they were not alone after all!

They stopped and left their rides, taking tentative steps towards the girl. Her body language reeked of wariness, so they kept a trustful distance. Her face was concealed by the motorcycle helmet and her body clothed in old, worn leather. A belt holstered a pistol and knife. They really didn't want to give this girl any reason to think they were a threat. She seemed ready to pounce and kill.

"Time to say hello." Jack subtly pressed the button in a device attached to his own belt. It was a miniature translating computer, used in the past when Cybertronians made contact with other species. The device translated the speech of both speaker and receptor in real time. Raf activated his own and greeted, waving his hand non-threateningly: "Uh, hello."

Since they weren't sure of her language, the devices wouldn't being translating just yet. First she needed to speak.

"Qui êtes-vous?"

"That's french." Jack recognized the tongue, barely from scratchy memories of his classes. He was never good at it, anyways. "Hello, we mean you no harm. I'm Jack and this is Rafael. We're just glad to have find you. It's been a long time since we've seen other people."

She spoke again, this time the translators did their thing, her words sounded in English to their eas only: "My name is Adeline. I haven't seen people in two years. How did you find me?"

"We were scouting around when we heard the sound of some other engine that wasn't ours." Raf quickly came up with an excuse. Jack had to hand it to him, he was a good instant liar.

"By the looks of your vehicles, I can tell you two are well off. Hard to imagine been both of you alone, and not in a community." her voice sprayed an undertone of doubt of their story.

"There's another one on our group, Miko. We haven't seen other humans in almost six years." Jack answered truthfully and then brought up a subject. "You said you haven't seen anyone in two years?"

She didn't answer right away, likely weightening her options of telling the truth or not. Finally she removed thehelmet, shoulder-length and somewhat disheveled blond hair cascading.

"Wow, chica hermosa!" Rafael sighed, forgetting the computer could also translate his spanish to french. Adeline looked sharply at him, her cheeks tinted red.

"Sorry! Sorry. It's just I've never seen a cute girl before. I mean, I haven't seen any girls in more than five years, so…" his apology turned more awkward with every word and he wound up looking down and muttering embarrassed apologies. Now his cheeks had a red tinge, but Adeline's were intense scarlet.

"D-do you want to hear my story or not?" she asked half-embarrassed, half-angry.

"Yes, please go on." Jack bit back a chuckle. She faced both of them, to ensure neither would mutter more interruptions.

"I am from France but spent my family vacation in Cyprus. When the world turned to metal, a fragment of the island was untouched. So we, the people there, formed a community to survive. We had no means of leaving, in fear of finding nothing and exhausting supplies. But the land wasn't enough to support everyone, so civil war broke out and the community crumbled, two years ago. My...family and I tried to leave. And now here I am."

It didn't escape neither Jack nor Raf she failed to mention her _supposed_ family's fate. In spite of wanting to help her, they had no reason to trust her. Even in a post-apocalyptic Earth, trust issues prevailed.

Therefore, they continued a conversation to try and foment such trust. Eventually they got seated as minutes turned to hours. Jack told her all the truths he could while avoiding complete lies. He said they lived in America and were in Geneva when the world changed forever. Fortunately they two were in a patch of land when it happened, where they have been living off what they can cultivate.

Adeline revealed she had her own piece of fertile land after leaving Cyprus and barely surviving a sailing journey to Lebanon. But she often had to scrap around leftover canned food in the non-_metalized_ stores, as she put it. Still, she wasn't forthcoming with the whereabouts of her family and they did not push her. Afterward stabilizing her life in the mainland, Adeline began scouring the territory around with her modified motorcycle.

"That's a nice pair of wheels you have! How are you fueling it without oil?"

She gave a proud look to the armored motorcycle. "My parents both worked in transports industry. My _maman_ worked the fuel chemicals and my _papa_ was in the manufacture of vehicles. I managed to synthesise a fuel from the toxic, blue water of the ocean. Plus, during the time of the community, kids were expected to learn as much as possible to help out."

"Ours too run on energon." Raf pointed to Bumblebee's alt-mode with a braggy smile, which faltered when he realized his mistake.

"Energon?"

"Its the name we came up with to the toxic, ocean fuel."Jack tried to sound plain. He avoided shooting a warning glance to Raf, who was being strangely reckless with his mouth. It was almost as if…

Raf took over the conversation, lively exchanging stories with Adeline. Jack seized the opportunity to communicate a quick report to Optimus, turning off his translator beforehand:

"Optimus, did you get it all?" the first contact had been broadcast to Optimus' terminal, who was back on Geneva. This had been done for Optimus to evaluate if it was wise to invite Adeline over to Geneva right away.

"_Every word, my friend. You can disclose to her the whole truth._" Jack ended the call and sat back down, translator turned on again.

"Adeline." he used his deep voice to call the exchange between the youngsters to an end and focus the girl's attention on him. "There's something we haven't been totally honest with you."

She frowned. There was little surprise in her expression. Jack deduced she had suspected as much. Sharp girl.

"Have you ever wondered why the world became _metalized_?" he again used the term coined by the french girl. Her reply was a simple nod.

"You see, over five years ago, Rafael, me and another friend of ours got tangled in a civil war between giant alien robots. The ones who fight to protect us are the Autobots. The bad guys who want to conquer us are the Decepticons.

"After many battles and twists, the Decepticons managed to use a giant machine meant to cure their planet to do _this_" he spread his arms to indicate the cyberformed environment. "to ours."

"Now we are doing what we can to help the 'Bots beat the 'Cons once and for all." Rafael finished the abridged story. Adeline's unwavering, stoned gaze didn't leave Jack's.

"I know it's a lot to believe in…" he didn't get the chance to say anything else before Adeline sunk her clenched fist in his nose with such breakneck speed he never saw it coming. He kept some of his dignity by not falling off the metal boulder that served as his stool.

"Do you think me so idiot, you _salops_!" she spat, verbally assaulting them in her mother tongue. Much of the swear words the translators were unable to compile. "Go back to whatever mental ward you came from and stay away from me!" she walked back to her motorcycle.

Jack was up, containing the urge to massage his bleeding nose. It wasn't painful nor broken, but boy did it hurt!

"Adeline, what we said is true." Raf insisted. "This war is real and so are the Autobots."

"Then prove it, lunatic." she retorted with every belief he could not. Raf and Jack gave sideways glances to their vehicles. That was their cue.

Before the eyes of the new human, Arcee and Bumblebee transformed. Said human's eyes were so wide it appeared they were about to be shot out of the sockets like cannon balls. Bumblebee waved timid but friendly and Arcee leaned down to declare:

"Hello, we're products of these two guys' demented imagination. Nice to meet you."

It took quite a while to appease Adeline. First, she screamed and fired every bullet she had on the two Autobots. The shots didn't even faze them. Then she tried to get on her bike and race out of there. Jack and Raf had to grab her tightly, following with careful explanation to make sure she didn't freak out again. They asked her to come with them to Geneva.

"But that's...a long way from here."

"We know a shortcut." Arcee offered no further explanation and transformed. Jack hopped on and Raf entered Bumblebee. Adeline was on her motorbike but looked unconfident and ready to cut and run, so unlike the girl who punched an older man on the face.

"Adeline, I know you may be confused and scared but we can only ask you to trust us for now." Raf pleaded to her. "We haven't seen humans in five years, we won't get you hurt or alienated."

"...Alright, I trust you...for now. So where is this _shortcut_ to Geneva?"

"Right about to bridge up. Just don't freak out." Raf had shortly explained to her the concept of groundbridging so that she wouldn't panic and take off when the vortex snapped open.

In spite of Rafael's warning, she was startled the moment the bridge materialized. Her grip in the handlebars clenched and she emitted a shriek, but didn't turn back. Jack and Arcee went first, Raf gave her an assertive smile and they went together, both in their vehicles.

"You're being awfully friendly to her." Bumblebee commented in English.

"Shut up, Bee!"

"Uh?" Adeline asked.

"Never mind, it's just Bumblebee."

* * *

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ.**

Instead of going through the Groundbridge Nexus, they arrived by the private groundbridge built within the headquarters, used for emergencies or secrecy. They thought seeing too many 'Bots all in the first day would be too much for Adeline. The point of arrival was directly to the bridge in the palace, where only Optimus awaited them.

"Adeline, meet the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime." Jack made the introductions, curt and neutrally. Inside he smiled at how awestruck she looked. Perhaps was because of his taller-than-average-'Bot stature, or maybe for being a Prime, but Optimus always managed to put new faces in total admiration upon meeting him. It wasn't any different from when he first met the big-rig.

Optimus kneeled down to see her better and uttered:

"Bienvenue, Adeline, à Genève." it struck Jack a little surprised that Optimus welcomed her in French without a translator. The rest Jack didn't catch but it was obvious enough he was welcoming her.

"Until we assign an Autobot guardian, I believe Rafael would be the best choice to function as your liaison."

"Will do, Optimus!" Rafael eagerly asked Adeline to follow him, she dragging her armored motorcycle.

"Well, isn't that a sight!" Miko Nakadai made herself known behind Jack and observed the two younger ones leaving. "Never thought the little guy who saw nothing else to do besides working on his laptop drooling all over some girl."

"My thoughts exactly."

She frowned when looked at his nose, a dried string of blood still there. "What happened?"

"The girl got a punch." he answer simply and Miko grinned:

"I like her already!"

"Say, how come you're here early? We thought the Xanthium was to get here in several hours."

"Oh, why? Springer opened a bridge just for me when word came there was a new human. You disappointed I got here sooner, Jack-rabbit?" Miko trapped his neck in an arm-hug.

"Not at all, Wrecker-girl." he replied with a smirk. "Not at all."

* * *

"This is my home and laboratory." Raf showed her the vast compartiment. In the last years, as Raf grew up and became more tangled in computer science, his quarters were enlarged and supplied with more equipment.

"Seems advanced." Adeline found no better term for all the alien tech. She pointed to her motorbike. "Where can I rest this?"

"Don't bother. The scraplets will deal with it."

"Scraplets?" Rafael whistled and Adeline came to see another surprise - she was getting a lot of those today. Tiny metal creatures, with lanky bodies and bulbous heads, no bigger than small cats, came skittering towards the motorbike and carried it, all together, to a clean corner of the room. When the job was done, the creatures returned to where they came from. Which was a large metal capsule with a round opening in the center. It reminded Adeline of a washing machine.

"What are those?"

"Scraplets. They live to eat metal, but a few years back I found a way to harness their power and control them. I'm just that good." he gave her a smug look.

"These things _eat_ metal?" she pointed a doubtful finger at the stasis capsule they were in. "How come your metal giants let you handle them?"

"At first the 'Bots were creeped out, because I could only control them with great focus. But I got better and over the years reprogrammed the scraplet hive to only eat Decepticon alloys. Now they won't even touch normal or Autobot metal. I'm just that good." again the smug look.

Adeline ignored his bragging but accepted a seat he offered. They chatted for some time, mostly Rafael doing the talk. He told her of how they met the Autobots, until the discovery of the Omega Lock that led to the tragedy.

"Now we are helping the Autobots on the war as best as we can. Granted our size and 'fleshiness', as Ratchet puts it, don't let us go toe-to-toe with a 'Con but we play to our strengths." Adeline's semblant shifted subtly, but Rafael noticed that last bit of information had caught her.

"I figured the Autobots weren't allowing you to stay here out of charity." she uttered.

"No, nothing like that. In the beginning, Optimus and Team Prime were against the idea of us helping in the field, but we are grown up and had the right to choose. After some training, Miko and Jack have taken secondary roles, mainly of stealth and non-direct combat. The 'Cons never see it coming from below."

"Seems like the Autobots have no objection in using you as war-mice." she retorted and for the first time addressing her, Rafael dropped the pleasant demeanour:

"The Autobots always fought to protect us."

"By letting you partake in the same war that got all of humanity turned into metal?" she retributed hotly. "You said it yourself; years ago your Autobot friends were constantly scrapping for resources and at great disadvantage. Now you claim they're doing much better, since Earth has become their environment. Has it occurred to you that they may be thankful that Megatron fellow did this? Your warleader Prime could secretly be rejoiced Earth is now their new world."

Raf looked stupefied. His tone changed from icy to hot: "This talk is over!" he waited for his brain to cool off, a process that took almost two minutes. "Would you like to see our farm?"

"You have a farm?" her fascinated tone helped ease the tension.

"Well, duh! What did you think the three of us ate? Bring your motorbike."

He took her outside through the walkways. The Autobot capital now had walkways on the streets, converted into roads. Outside the palace, he picked up a scooter and the two drove.

"The Autobots built these just for you three?" she shouted to him, who drove on the front. The working machinery of the city suffocated most sounds and she had to ask again louder.

"Not really. This is work of the Omega Lock. These things also exist on their planet's cities for smaller robots to travel."

They drove up to the northeast edge of Geneva, where the cyberforming had left a puddle of dirt untouched, just like the lake. In here the urban sounds were faint. Jack, Miko and Rafael had gone to great lengths to make the simple farm produce slightly more food than they needed, in case of an emergency. The fields were larger and filled with grains and vegetables.

The sound of chickens was heard from the other side, where a henneryrested and chickens clucked. Ironically, the city outside awed Adeline very little. She looked far more impressed by the farm. Likely she had never seen so much food in a long time. She approached the field, taking extra care to examine the healthy plants, like they were sacred relics. Raf allowed her all the time she wished.

Half an hour passed when she finally talked. "Where is the other friend of yours? What's her name, Miko? I thought she wanted to meet me."

Raf pointed to a normal, human house that had survived the cyberforming, just by the edge of the field.

"She's probably snuggling up to Jack. Don't take it personal, they're sort of the non-married, non-committed couple."

She offered no comment and turned her gaze back to the cybertronian metropolis. Before Autobots began to arrive like refugees, the city was mostly silent and desert. Now it teemed with inhabitants. Though it didn't feel like a human city at all. The sounds were all mechanical, not a single human voice or animal sound. Only the wind remained the same.

"Rafael, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What will become of humanity when every city looks like this?" her tone seemed dead of emotion, like someone too tired to even feel it. "I, you and your friends are all that remains. And soon even we will be gone. You three are fighting in this very war. It's like you are _begging_ for the human race to end."

Raf gave out an exasperated sigh. "Alright Adeline, why do you insist so badly on blaming the Autobots? I told you they are our friends."

"You have no idea what I've lost because of these robots and their war."

"I've lost my fair share too." he snapped back. "My family, my home, almost everything I had."

"Yet you seem to be doing fine nowadays.

Of all things she had spoken, nothing shocked him more. Was she insinuating he didn't care for his family, his parents and his siblings who died at the hands of Megatron?

"Get out of here!" he barked and she was taken aback but showed no emotion when retreating.

* * *

**At night.**

**Rafael's laboratory**.

The cybertronian digits on the screen were barely distinguishable to Rafael, who was so exhausted of his computer work he couldn't type anymore without risking messing up the program. He closed all the work and powered down the computer.

"I hate late nights." he groaned, massaging his dark eyes. The thing about stopping his work at late nights was, he was too tired to keep working, but not yet tired enough to sleep. Like something in his brain forced him to stay awaken even when he lied down. Probably was his burgeoning workaholism, as Ratchet said. In times like these, he went for a stroll outside.

Staring at the black sky, he inhaled a great puff of revigorating, cool air. He picked up his scooter and drove, the wind hitting his skin was soothing.

Geneva was by no means silent at night. Cybertronians were both day and night-dwelling. They only needed to recharge for about six hours and they could do it in any period of the day. He, Jack and Miko had grown used to the noise by now and slept just as peacefully as if it was a quiet night.

A new approaching sound put him on alert. He looked back to see Adeline riding behind him. She gesticulated for him to halt, and they both stopped.

"Hi, Adeline. Enjoying the night breeze?"

"Rafael, I need your help."

"Ok, what do you want?"

"To leave." her simple answer brought a pregnant pause.

"What?"

"I want to leave, go back to my home. For that I need to open that groundbridge portal. Could you do it for me?"

"Leave? But, why? In here you're safe."

"Until this robot war comes here, you mean. I don't want to be tangled in the conflict that destroyed my life. I just want to survive."

"And you think you can just leave without Optimus' permission?"

"He gave it already. When I arrived he said with every letter I was to be no prisoner and could leave whenever I wished so."

"Optimus said that?" even without proof, he could believe the Prime had said it. That's just Optimus, alright.

"With every letter." she repeated. "I could simply go to those operators and ask them...but, I prefer if it is you." her voice tunned down the cold and turned soft. "Since I won't be coming back, at least I want you to be the last person I see from here."

Rafael had no idea what to say to that. He felt resigned, disappointed, angry and slightly happy. He had fed the hope of changing Adeline's mind about the 'Bots eventually. He didn't want her to leave before he got to know her better. And he felt a bit happy for her admittance she wanted to at least say goodbye.

"Alright. Let's go." slowly they drove back to the Palace of Nations, while ignoring all the Autobots around. He didn't want to hurry this up.

The Groundbridge Nexus was empty, no missions for the time being. They had all the privacy for a farewell.

"_All the better_." Raf thought with bitter. He moved to the operator's station and input the coordinates on Bridge A.

"Well, I guess this is it." Raf felt stupid not really knowing what to say. How do you pay a warm goodbye to someone you just met that day? "I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other a bit more."

"I'm sorry too. Just because I don't trust your robot friends, that doesn't mean I don't trust you." she paused, like deciding what she should say next. "You know, when I was thirteen and before the world was metalized, I had a crush on a boy I grew up with on France. His name was Raphael. You remind me a bit of him.

"I just wanted you to know. Goodbye, and good luck."

"Same to you." she drove into the bridge and Rafael would never see her again.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Megatron was not pleased. With every report he had to withhold an increasing dose of anger. His minions relayed news of Autobot raids and minor attacks practically all over Decepticon territory. Normally, Megatron unleashed his frustration on his incompetent followers, but this was not the case. The Autobot attacks were well-coordinated and unpredictable.

"Dismissed, all of you!" he barked. "Minus Cyclonus."

Only the warlord and second-in-command remained atop the throne varanda. The purple jet kept quiet for a moment before asking his master:

"My liege, if you allow me, you don't believe these attacks are mere scraplet prickles, do you?"

"These raids will delay our plans for many cycles, though not permanently. It's not just the number of attacks but also their distribution." Megatron waved his servo and an holographic map appeared before them. It showed the eastern territory of what used to be U.S.A. Now it had several Decepticon dots all over: New Kaon, Ristvak'baen, and every other city the 'Cons have taken. Megatron indicated the attacked spots, all in close proximity with the capital.

"The Autobots have raided the sources of our supply lines and ground-based defenses of New Kaon. This is both meant to weaken us as it is a prelude."

"You believe an attack on the capital is possible?" if Cyclonus was shocked with that revelation, he didn't show.

"No, not possible. Rather it is imminent." Megatron grunted. "In the past, we struck painfully at Iacon and inflicted a deadly blow to the heart of the Autobots. This time we will be fighting for our capital."

* * *

Next chapter all hell is gonna break loose. I have a few surprises. If you're disappointed about Adeline, there will be more humans in the future. As for why I named her so, it's the same name of another OC of mine.

As for the JackxMiko, they are as Raf said, the non-commited, not-married couple. I'm not a diehard shipper of any kind. Personally, teenage Miko and Jack of the tv series wouldn't be much of a couple. Perhaps with a few years and maturing, especially on Miko's side.

A tricky part of this chapter was Raf's teenager personality. Usually he is level-headed and logical, though sometimes a bit teasing. As for his poor girl-skills, give the kid a break. He's has never had much practice.


	10. Chapter 10

**Kaleia:** Jack's head is a bit long, and so is Starscream's. The pointy goatee gives his chin a bit on an edge, just like Starscream's. Not to mention that if you look closely, Screamer has a metal piece going from beneath his mouth to the chin. So in my head, the goatee makes him look like Starscream alright.

When it comes to humanxcybertronian romance, I am adamantly against it. I have met many who say romance between transformers and humans is fun, cute and totally possible. All of those people turned out to be childish in my view. Kaleia, don't be offended, but your vision of romance is a bit young and immature. Have you ever read the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini? It's a great work that shows that age does matter in romance.

As for CNA and DNA being identical, there is no canon proof of that in the Aligned continuity, so you're wrong on that, my friend.

In my opinion, love between a human and cybertronian can be possible BUT it will only end badly as both species as different, with different views of life and the world. Not to mention human lives are a second compared to cybertronian ones. In other words, that romance will always have a sad ending.

I hope this hasn't upset you or any of my other readers, but when it comes to these matters I never sugarcoat things.

**Gabby M**:I actually forgot to mention this in the chapter, but while there are more humans out there, they have been dying out for the last five years. Because of lack of food, water, land or conflict caused by one of the previous. As of 2018, there are only a few hundreds of humans scattered all over the globe.

**Mazamba**: Actually I think Rafael may be of Spaniard descendance.

**LuisJM**: I don't put much interest in their outfits though I make a few references in this chapter. As for more humans...just wait. I won't be adding new humans though. At least not in the way you're thinking. Read my answer to Gabby M.

**Queen of the Beasts**: They will, but only in the very end of the story and their appearance will be rather meaningless.

* * *

**28th August 2018. 5 Years and 297 days AE.**

**Geneva, Autobot capital**.

"Ready?" Miko asked.

"Ready?" Jack echoed

"Ready." Raf confirmed with a nod.

"Ready, ready." Wheeljack smirked. "Raf and I have been putting processors and servos together to create this monster."

The foursome was standing before the closed garage door of a workshop. This had been the workplace of Rafael and Wheeljack for the last week. The Wrecker pushed a button and slowly the garage door opened. Within its shadowy bowels came out a vehicle never seen before.

It was shaped like a massive monster truck, armed with heavy artillery and armor, running on threads. The monster truck-tank hybrid carried a rotating cannon on the back-right end, with several turrets spread across the hull and an array of guns on every side. The armor was painted in dark-red flames in a black frame. On the side there was a sentence inscribed like fire: DECEPTICONS KISS THIS GUN!

Jack whistled. "Now that's a fine set of wheels...uh, or rather, threads! I don't like to get my hopes up, but is this big, bad boy for us?"

"Yep, presenting the most badass rolling piece of machinery, armed with every caliber of gun in our inventory. And thanks to a complex computerized AI, all those guns can be commanded at the same time with ease. Some are activated and lock on by voice or foot command to make it simple. That way you don't have to work everything on a panel of buttons and switches. All my idea."

"So it's big, nasty and easy to drive. Nice one, Raf." Jack complimented.

"Yeah, I'm just that good."

"With an attitude like that, one of these days you'll turn into a mini-Knockout, kid." Wheeljack noted.

"I resent that! I'm rightfully full of myself because of my skills, not my looks. That earns me more points than Knockout. A lot more, I might add."

"Wow, don't let that humility go to your head." Jack joked.

"Don't worry, I won't." he chuckled, then turned to Miko. "Say Miko, you're awfully quiet. I figured you would scream like a girl on a planet of candy."

Indeed the woman was as silent as a statue, her frozen gaze upon the vehicle.

"I'm in love." she declared.

"What?"

"I'm in love." she approached the vehicle like a true believer walking towards a temple of her faith.

Jack's eyes went wide. He crossed his arms with a frown. "Good to know where I stand."

Raf and Wheeljack laughed at that. The boy began introducing the weaponry to them. "The main guns on the back and front are ion laser arrays, with longer range and stronger power than regular lasers. The turrets work as defenses and can intercept shells of enemy fire with bolts of plasma. Some turrets launch grenades at high speed against close, ground-bound enemies."

"What about that big, mean cannon?" Jack pointed to the rotating battery.

"That is one of mine and Perceptor's latest inventions." Wheeljack responded. "A molecular slicer, reverse-engineered from old Quintesson war machines the Dinobots smashed and swiped on their way to Earth. It can cut through anything at atomic level, making every cut smooth perfect. The sharpest blade out there couldn't cut better than this bad boy." he gently tapped the cannon like a father would do his proud son.

"Man, with all those different types of guns, this thing must suck up energon like a waterfall. Not to mention the coolant to keep it refrigerated." Jack whistled. "How can this pack of tons move and shoot without carrying giant tanks for energon and coolant?"

"You can thank to Blaster's little discovery." Raf explained. "This Armageddon on threads is fueled by a tiny shard of super energon. As for the coolant, we had to improvise. The guns can heat up fast, so they naturally shut down for a brief period of two minutes. Therefore, best to make the best of every shot and never fire every gun at once."

"When you aim for 100%, you can only get 80. No big deal. It's still gonna make the 'Cons wish they had never been born." Jack commended.

"There's still something missing." Miko declared. She had been admiring the viature in awed silence, unnoticed by the others. "A name."

"Name?" Jack's remark brought a horrified glare from her, like he had grown a second head.

"Of course, a name! You think something so god-like as this could go to blasting 'Cons without a name?"

"How about...'Monster Threads'." Wheeljack suggested.

"Nah, the threads aren't what makes it special."

"'Con Crusher'?" Rafael put out.

"Too vague. There's tons of 'Bots who can crush a 'Con."

"Then how about something close to that but still one of a kind." Jack mused. "Say...'Con Grinder?"

Miko pointed at him with eyes shining in tears. "Jacky, I don't say this too often...but I love you. That name is per-fect!"

Without warning, she picked up a blowtorch and began scorching ''CON GRINDER' on the plake.

"Is it just me...or is Miko acting a bit strange...er?" Raf whispered to the other two.

"I hear ya. In the last cycles, feels like her mood processor goes from 'good' to 'bad' and back again, every klik." Wheeljack kneeled down to make sure she didn't hear him.

"One minute she loves the tank, the other she loves me." Jack shook his head. "Sometimes she's moody, the others she's just plain weird. I'll never get this woman."

* * *

**Later that night.**

**Palace of Nations, War Council Room.**

The large circular chamber was filled with every high-ranking warrior Autobot, from Ultra Magnus, to Rodimus Major, to the most trusted veteran lieutenants of Optimus such as Ironhide, Prowl and Fireblade.

"Autobots, the last time we had held a meeting of this proportion was when I marked our course to invade New Kaon. Now that we have learnt and exploited all the breaches in the enemy's defenses, the time for action has come." Optimus proclaimed, showing an holographic map of New Kaon.

The city was vast and well protected by ground-based guns and other defenses. At the center, what used to be Manhattan was completely surrounded by a frighteningly tall wall, with big canons planted atop. A true city-fortress.

"New Kaon, the Decepticon capital, is divided in five districts which used to be called 'boroughs' by the humans who to inhabited the city." Optimus got to business quickly. No point in remembering the natives who were no more now.

"For over four stellar cycles, we have raided, wounded and probed New Kaon's defenses, mostly on the north." Optimus indicated said part of the city. "The district known as Bronx which acts as a gateway to the city, we have had under optic. This the Decepticons know and will be expecting an incursion by that point. Therefore, we will instead invade New Kaon by the east border."

"Bold plan, Prime. Risky." Ironhide noted.

"To live is to risk, Ironhide." Fireblade wisely said.

The east border of New Kaon consisted of the districts Impervial and Shallow Pits, formerly known as Manhattan and Staten Island respectively. The map zoomed in on the area that was once Manhattan, by far the most impressive and frightening part of the city.

"As you all know, unless you were counting Minicons during my report briefing" Blaster continued where Optimus left off. "Impervial is the citadel of New Kaon, surrounded by a skyscraper-sized wall with anti-ground and anti-air weaponry atop that would make energon freeze in your tanks. It's the center of command of the city in the shape of a big, fat, mean, nigh-impenetrable fortress. Reason why the late fragger Starscream named it so when he was in charge of the city."

"Is that suppose to raise our moral?" Rodimus made a sarcastic frown.

"I don't understand why go for such a bold approach by attacking the citadel directly." Ironhide, a veteran in open-warfare countered. "Even if the Decepticons see us coming from Bronx, that place is barely holding its defenses since the Aerialbots and the Elite Guard attacked it. Through Bronx we can still plunge our way to Impervial. With a coordinated attack and a lot of firepower, we can win this thing, even if our casualties are high. Though not as high if we go for Impervial on the first turn."

"Old friend, I don't plan to make this attack a jihad. I know we can attack the heart of our enemies directly without loosing too many of our brothers. While Bronx is indeed a tempting target after our last successful raid, Megatron will be expecting that. The massive raid on Bronx was made to convince of such possible attack."

Every other Autobot, sans the leader and second-in-command, moved and rearranged their expressions when they realized the implied meaning.

"The recent joint attack on Bronx's gates by the Elite Guard and the Aerialbots was meant to goad Megatron into believing that is where our next strike with flare." Magnus explained. "Our real point of invasion will the east border which is the most gutted after Bronx."

Optimus zoomed in on the east border, indicating Impervial and Shallow Pits. Outside of the city and in the east lands watched by Decepticons, two points were featured.

"These two location are Woodbridge and Jersey City, both sites of watchtowers." the watchtowers were the sentinel infrastructure that safeguarded New Kaon. More than high places to see in-coming enemies, the towers broadcasted a bridge scrambler signal. Autobot groundbridges were incapable of opening on New Kaon or in an area of many miles around it.

"But Optimus, the watchtowers on those areas are still standing and operational. How are we to launch an invasion through there?" Rodimus pointed out.

Optimus exchanged a quick look with Ultra Magnus and a very few other 'Bots who knew. "Autobots, on the past week, a small number of our brave warriors have accomplished top secret missions that resolved in hacking the watchtowers on Woodbridge and Jersey City. These missions had been kept in absolute secrecy to prevent the Decepticons from catching wind of our actions."

He refrained from divulging the identities of such brave, bold warriors. He knew they wanted no glory or popularity for their feat. Plus, if the Decepticons ever learn of their identities, he didn't want to make them targets of their wrath. One other thing was, not all of such warriors were Autobots.

"The watchtowers' mainframe have been infected with a virus grafted by Blaster and Rafael Esquivel. The virus will render the watchtowers on Woodbridge and Jersey City inoperative and shutdown their surveillance system and groundbridge scrambler field, thus allowing a surprise, two-pronged attack on Shallow Pits and Impervial."

"Why sending some of our forces to the Shallow Pits?" questioned Springer. "That district is underdeveloped and sparsely defended. It's just a permanent residence for Vehicons who are not laboring."

"Because during an attack, the manual defense weapons tend to be operated by drones." Fireblade explained, having participated in the construction of the strategic planning of the attack. "Cutting off the Decepticons from their workers on recharge will short-hand them even more. Because the enemies on Shallow Pits are all worker Vehicons, a small but strong party will suffice to accomplish this part. That will enable us to conduct the bulk of our strength to the spearhead to Impervial."

When someone inquired how can they infiltrate Impervial with the very little intel they have on the walled citadel's defenses, Optimus gave word to someone else:

"Rafael, please relay your results." from a solitary human chair close by Optimus' place, stepped the figure of Rafael Esquivel.

Rafael was spoken with mixed opinions amongst the Autobots. Those who knew him only by reputation considered him a tiny mystery, possibly menacing. His control over scarplets intimidated the Autobots, especially those who on very rare occasions have seen his pets devour a 'Con. Only Team Prime and a few others who work closely by him know he his no menace at all.

"The new breed of scraplets are ready and have been tested." He declared, his voice amplified by a collar microphone. "As you all know, over the years the Decepticons have developed counter-measures against them. The most recent and effective has been a wax they bathe over their armor that repels scraplets."

Rafael displayed a video recording of a Decepticon walking in a swarm of scraplets and the creatures didn't dare to near him. The 'Con's body shone lightly with a layer of transparent yellow.

"In the scraplet arm race, that wax has been an impregnable defense. Until now." with a small grin, the teenager showed them an image of a metal creature that walked on all six legs and was akin to a cat-sized cockroach, except for the wide mouth with sharp, metal grinding teeth. Some of the Autobots were disturbed by it, which made Rafael all prouder.

"Introducing the metaroach. It's just as agile as the scraplet and capable of flight. It fires the right combination chemicals that dissolve the anti-scraplet wax. The metaroaches directive is to fly first and neutralize the 'Cons defense against regular scraplets, sometimes even drill a hole on their armor to facilitate the job. All tests have proven the metaroach to be a success."

He showed them a video feed of such successful test. The metaroach on camera shot two jets of green liquid from the sides of its jaws against a block of waxed metal. The protection was dissolved and the metaroach, along with the standing scraplets, began to gorge themselves on the block.

The Autobots reactions were still a bit disturbed though they couldn't deny this would come very handy against the 'Cons.

"Looks good enough. As long as those things don't see us as an after-snack." Ironhide gruffed.

"No worries. The metaroaches have the same guidelines programming as my scraplets. Should I lose control of them in a battle, they will know only to attack Decepticons. On another cherry note, they're ordered only to disable their prey, not to eat them completely."

That last part was met with a look of approval from Optimus. The Prime had pressed Rafael for some time to find a solution to make the scraplets a weapon not exclusively for termination. Still now he despised having to take lives, even Decepticon ones, so the scraplets had only been deployed in desperate situations. But now with the recent 'Not Kill' program, Rafael's creations could be used more often.

"Thank you, Rafael." The boy seated himself. Not for the time he had spoken to a crowd of authority on a war meeting. As a scientist of a sorts, that was often requested of him.

"One question though, how do we know Buckethead won't use those fusion cannons he has on his doom fortress? Even if we take New Kaon, he might deem it worth it to wipe it out, if he thinks we go up in smoke with it." Rodimus raised a point.

"Because in the event that we take New Kaon, Megatron will not go to such extremes immediately. His capital is the heart of his western spearhead. If he's ever to attack Europe, he will require New Kaon's strategic position and resources. And we will take precautions to keep mobile, once we settle on New Kaon."

"You seem quite confident we will win, Optimus." Prowl noted. "Back on Cybertron, taking over Kaon was never more than a remote dream."

"This isn't Cybertron." Optimus gave no more thoughts on that.

"Now Perceptor, please step forward and relay to us your triumphs on Project Untamable King."

* * *

**29th August 2018. 5 Years and 298 days AE.**

**Human house,** **Pregny-Chambésy.**

Within the house, Miko was gearing up. Putting on the left boot and the full length leather jacket. Unlike Jack, who favored a vest, she likes a bit more of fabric. Raf lived more often at HQ, so he was there preparing his scraplet hive. Jack had previously readied himself and was now speaking with Optimus.

Miko struggled to shove her arms into the jacket as a back pain hit her. In the last three days she has had those. Maybe she had been overextending herself in morning exercises. But that was the price to stay in top-shape.

Jack entered the living-room with a exasperated expression. He sat by a chair at the table and Miko joined him:

"What's the damage?"

"Optimus put us on the Shallow Pits front."

Miko's frustration matched his own. "For the love of scrap! Is he still doing the whole 'protecting humans' thing? Thought he had passed the phase ages ago."

Optimus deep down still blamed himself for the extinction of humanity.

"Can't believe the 'Con Grinder's maiden battle is gonna be slagging drones. At the very least we should scrap side by side with the Wreckers."

"Optimus' word is final. We do as he says." Jack wasn't so happy to say it.

"Yeah, I know." Miko reluctantly accepted. The young, teenager Miko might have disobeyed such an order, but the adult Miko knew not too.

"Raf though, is another thing. He's gonna be on the Impervial front."

"Lucky stiff! He gets to join the real action while we cover their butts?!" Miko protested.

"Not really like that. Raf will be in the back controlling the scraplets. Optimus isn't happy, and I quote, '_to have him anywhere near the carnage_'." Jack paused and got up. He gave Miko a hand and tried to sound positive. "You ready for a walk in the park smashing Vehicons?"

"Guess we have nothing more boring to do." she shrugged. Years ago, killing even a single 'Con would be monumental achievement for her to brag about for weeks to come. Now she was about to fight scores of drones and felt nothing more than dull.

* * *

**Groundbridge Nexus**.

Every groundbridge would be utilized. Most by the Impervial spearhead, while a relatively small force would use two remaining bridges for the attack on Shallow Pits. To use every groundbridge at once would put a great strain on the nexus. Therefore half of the army would mobilize first. In the first mobilization, the troops for the Shallow Pits would depart. When Miko respectfully inquired to Optimus why he would send them first, his response was:

"In an attack unforeseen by the enemy, the first soldiers to enter the battlefield will have the element of surprise."

Miko and Jack were in the 'Con Grinder, having previously test-drived it. Miko preferred to be on the wheel while Jack handled most of the shooting.

"Okay, team." Bumblebee, who had recently graduated into warrior, would be leading the attack on Shallow Pits. Besides Jack and Miko, the team included some less experienced 'Bots like the brothers Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Others more experienced were Arcee and Warpath. "Our mission is simple and easy if we do things right. We have two groundbridges. Once the watchtower at Woodbridge is knocked out of commision by the virus, we will open both bridges. One at the southern edge and other at the north. The point is to trap all the drones in their district, thus preventing them from operating the city's defenses.

"This mission may appear to be too easy for you. Now that the Decepticon army has come to Earth, Vehicons have lost their place in the warrior ranks in favor of true Decepticon warriors. They were all downgraded to workers. Sure fighting workers can't even be called 'fighting', but don't let your guard down. And remember, most of our enemies will be unprepared for our attack and unarmed. Deadly force is to be used only as a last resort."

Jack whispered to Arcee. "Bee's already talking like a General."

"He may be younger than me, but he has a growing knack for leadership." she whispered back. "I think Optimus knows that, reason why he put Bee in charge." she made a small, proud smile. "He's really proven his metal."

Bumblebee paused in his speech. The two bridges were opened for them. Time to give an inspiring phrase. He had been working over it all cycle:

"Alright, Autobots. Gas it up and blow it out!" he shouted enthusiastically only to be met with absolute silence from his troops. "Honestly it sounded better in my head."

"Is that supposed to be a war cry?" Sunstreaker muttered. "'Cause I've heard better from that slagger Starscream."

"Starscream?" Bumblebee was offended. Frustrated he pinched his non-existent nose. "Forget it. Let's just roll out."

* * *

**Shallow Pits, New Kaon**.

Quiet. Dull. Uninteresting. Those terms suited the Shallow Pits, district where the Vehicons fueled up, recharged and dwelled when not exhausting themselves working on the 'fancier' districts of the capital. The Shallow Pits is also the factory where they are produced and recycled.

The name given to what was once the Staten Island is a derisive term by Starscream. Shallow Pits is the underdeveloped underworld of New Kaon. Vehicon workers' energon rations and rights are even less than warriors'. They are only allowed in the main city during their work shifts and are forced to labour exhaustingly. Never easy to be a Steve.

None of these lowest of the low had seen the watchtower on Woodbridge shutting down and two Autobot bridges opening on opposite ends of their territory.

"OHH-AH!" Warpath came out on the north edge in his tank mode. The trigger-happy young 'Bot lived to blow up everything in his path. He blasted away a group of five Vehicons before they knew what was happening. They fell in stasis and injured, but quite alive. "Let's BOOM kick their cans!"

The 'Con Grinder came beside him and was doing a fine job cutting down the Vehicons who opposed them. Or occasionally running them over, as Miko was taking great pleasure into.

"Hell yeah!" she howled making sure to run her threads over a drone's faceplate.

"For someone who thought this gig to be boring, you're having fun." Jack opined. She stuck her tongue out at him. Miko's childish side tended to come out when she was having real fun.

"Don't jinx it. This _is_ boring, but I'm trying to make it better."

Jack used non-lethal blows. Optimus' policy of not terminating defenseless enemies stands. On occasions such as this one he found himself questioning that policy. Now Jack Darby was in complete control of the situation. The 'Cons could do nothing against their vehicle. Jack was in absolute power and had them at his mercy. Mercy that they gave not to Earth when Megatron used the Omega Lock.

Not for the first time, Jack heard a small voice whispering from his shoulder, telling him to do more. To slag those Decepticon bastards just like they did to his home, to mom and to Old Jeffrey.

"_Bumblebee to northern units. We have cut off the enemies escape from our end. Keep pushing them south._"

"Will do, Bee." Jack replied, brought out of his thoughts. He shot a Vehicon in the legs with the laser arrays. The drone crumbled in stasis and was handcuffed by one of the 'Bots. But sometimes Jack wished he could just blast them to bits.

Half an hour passed and their operation was a success. The Vehicons were mostly apprehended, a few dead and only a meager handful escaped. Shallow Pits was secured by the Autobots, who suffered no casualties whatsoever.

"Congratulations, team. This could have gone bad if we had slipped up." Bumblebee congratulated, but then got serious again. "But don't let that get to your heads. We can't allow the Decepticons to repossess this district."

"As if they would care about some worthless piece of land or a bunch of drones needing rescue." Sideswipe retorted.

"Nonetheless, we must consolidate our presence here and await new orders. The more fixated we remain in New Kaon, the better our odds of driving the 'Cons away." Bumblebee began to assign patrol and sentinel duties to everyone. Jack and Miko went to work alongside Warpath again. Which was fine by them, as Miko had some curiosity about the young, eager gun.

"With all that firepower and attitude, you'd make a great Wrecker." she opined, attempting to start a conversation with the red 'Bot.

"Thanks. You and that piece of gun you got ain't that bad either. Yeah, I once thought of joining the Wreckers. But I'm not much into wrecking. More in KA-BOOMing." for emphasis he showed off the massive cannon on his chest.

Miko smirks. She definitely liked this Warpath. Her pleasantness turned into annoyance when her back pain came back.

* * *

**Frontier Jersey City-Impervial (New Kaon).**

Optimus studied the wall surrounding the citadel, on the opposite margin of the raw energon river. He remembered this river used to be called Hudson by the humans. Behind him were his loyal followers, ready to go after him into battle.

"Blaster, progress?"

"Done." the Autobot spymaster grinned, hacking into the terminal of a metal bridge that crossed the river. The cybertronian bridge could retract and transform to cut off traffic, a far more complex process than the bascule bridge of London. But thanks to Blaster's diligent work, the bridge would remain horizontal for them to cross. "Now the 'Cons can't cut our entrance."

"They won't try when they got other options." Ultra Magnus pointed to the sky where a collection of bomber Seekers was taking a nosedive. They were going to blow up the bridge and the Autobots with it.

"Silverbolt, go."

The leading white-gray and black leader of the Aerialbots took off with his fellows. They were vastly outnumbered by the Decepticons but that did not discouraged them. "Aerialbots, into the sky and merge into Superion!"

The original Autobot combiner team merged into the huge, boastful, flying Autobot. Superion, as the name indicated, believed himself to the best in the sky. And to an extent, he was correct. So long he didn't let his ego make him crashland.

"I'm Superion, superior!" he shouted into the heavens and proceeded to shoot down the bombers. Even going as far and picking up two in mid-air and hurling them at the enemies. Unlike the Decepticon Seekers, Superion could fly in robot mode thus allowing him a more offensive capacity.

Optimus noticed theanti-aircannons atop the wall were taking aim at Superion. But the Prime would have none of that. With a war cry, he took the Star Saber from his back and drew an arch of energy at the cannons, blowing them into atoms.

"Nice." Ironhide smirked, pleased with the show of power. Seeing their leader destroying entire enemy structures with a single blow was a great morale booster. But Optimus wasn't finished yet. He drew another arch, a vertical one meant for the closed wall gates. The imposing, heavily armored doors were atomized as well, leaving a great passage for the Autobots to invade.

"Righteous!" Blaster gasped.

"Superion, remain here to guard the bridge. Engage targets of opportunity." Optimus turned to his ground-bound soldiers. "Autobots, charge!"

The Autobot invasion poured into the heart of the Decepticon capital.

* * *

**Grey Spear, Military HQ of New Kaon.**

The Grey Spear was a tall tower with a sharp end that pierced the sky. Before the cyberforming of Earth, it was known as 'Chrysler Building'. Reformed into the command and control center of the capital, second only in terms of firepower to Ristvak'baen. From there, Cyclonus was giving a quick report to Megatron who was back on the fortress in Jasper, Nevada.

"My Lord, the attack you foresaw is imminent. Two of the watchtowers were shut down by some kind of implanted virus. The Autobots have launched a two-pronged attack, one on Shallow Pits and the other on Impervial. The drone district has fallen."

Megatron was not pleased. "_What is the progress of this assault on the citadel?_"

"Despite Optimus Prime wielding the Star Saber, we are containing them, but barely. The Autobot Captain Fireblade has guided her squadron to sector AZ3, where our refineries are located." Impervial had its own refineries to fuel the citadel in case of a prolonged siege. These were built on sector AZ3, which used to be Battery Park.

"_Fireblade. She is one of the greatest military leaders amongst the Autobots. If we lose sector AZ3, the enemy will only require to starve the citadel out. Even groundbridging supplies to there wouldn't be enough to keep Impervial functioning._"

"Which is why I sent General Strika to that sector, Lord Megatron."

"_A wise choice, Cyclonus. Keep the Autobots from moving further in. I will mobilize the rest of our forces and link up to you. Do not fail me._"

* * *

**Shallow Pits.**

"Understood." Bumblebee received the new orders through his comm-link, then addressed the troops. The Vehicon prisoners had already been rounded up and moved to a detention facility on Europe. "Team, Optimus needs us to join Captain Fireblade and her Air Squadron. We'll groundbridge to the Jersey City frontier and reach Fireblade's lines in sector AZ3."

"Can't we just bridge to their location to save time?" Sideswipe asked.

"No can do." Bee shook his head. "Grey Spear - the 'Con's base fortress on Impervial - has its own groundbridge scrambler field. No Autobot groundbridges on the citadel.

He looked to the soldiers and friends under his command. What they would enter in a few moments is real battle, not an undercover work or a simple mission. But real battle. What should he say?

"Autobots, time to bring the zoom and lower the boom!"

A collective facepalm echoed in the Shallow Pits.

"Seriously? I worked on that one for a good three hours!"

* * *

**Sector AZ3, Impervial.**

During the bumpy ride, Jack observed the outside. He had been on the Big Apple once before the Decepticons moved in and named it after their city back on Cybertron, during the mission for the Phase Shifter. The skyscrapers were amazing, and now they were gone. In their place gray and black, thorny metal obelisks stood ominously.

The troops raced on the streets filled with rubble towards the southern tip of Impervial, an opened area with no high infrastructures that used to be Battery Park.

In there a fierce battle was taking place with a few scattered 'Bots and 'Cons fighting hand-to-hand. The epicenter of the conflict was the bulk of energon refineries where the Decepticons atop were firing everything they had on the Autobots taking cover behind the wreckage of a fallen building.

"Captain Fireblade!" Bumblebee transformed when they met up.

"Lieutenant Bumblebee, good to see you've made it." a small missile hit a building, making it crumble all over them. "Take cover!"

"Scrap!" Miko had to make a hard turn, but their vehicle wasn't made for speed. They would have been pounded by a large chunk if it weren't for Fireblade who grabbed the 'Con Grinder and leaped out of danger.

"Are you humans alright?" she asked, looking inside the vehicle.

"Just fine." Jack replied flatly. He still remembered the giant, ancient Autobot from the day she saved his butt and Ultra Magnus'. She had no close relationship to anyone else, sans perhaps her team of helicopter Autobots. On occasions she and him had met but never interacted much. Fireblade was just an old brawler who had been fighting before Orion Pax and Megatronus crossed paths.

"Your vehicle wields a Quintesson molecular slicer." she noted. It wasn't a question. "Lieutenant Bumblebee, my squadron and I will take flight and draw their attention. Have your forces, especially the humans, fire at the ceiling Strika's troops are standing on."

She transformed into a Mil V-12, the rest of her team following suite into smaller, common helicopter alt-modes. They took flight and immediately all the barrage of fire followed them.

"Now!" Bumblebee shouted and every other 'Bot fired at the the top of the refinery.

"Have some of this!" Jack, for the very first time, unleashed the main gun of the 'Con Grinder, a transparent purple beam that sliced perfectly through the wall of the structure. The ceiling fell apart and every Decepticon on top of it. Except for a femme with a violet and yellow chassis and a stature just as tall as Fireblade's. She transformed into a flying cybertronian tank of heavy artillery.

"You will have to do better than that, Autobots! Obliterate!" the large femme unleashed a barrage of missiles at the ground-bound Autobots.

"Strika!" Fireblade called out. "Let us end our pending rematch, once and for all!"

Flying tank and helicopter flew against each other with ramming speed. When they collided, both transformed and merged as an orb of metal punching metal. The battlefield was blasted by the shockwave when they hit the ground. Ignoring their injuries and the rest of the battle, the two experienced military leaders fought each other with the fervour of a comet. Every other 'Bot and 'Con was wise enough not to intervene.

Strika pulled out a massive green mace with rotating spikes. "Becoming an Autobot was a poor tactical move, Fireblade. We both saw that Cybertron's putrid system was in tides of changing. Yet you put yourself behind a data clerk spawn by the old guard instead of a warrior revolutionary."

Fireblade brought her flaming sword. "I see beyond first impressions. Megatron's ideals will only lead our race to destruction, just like they did Cybertron."

The femmes charged at each other, colliding weapons sparked violently. "Cybertron is dead because you traitorous Autobots pushed Megatron to drastic measures. And I would rather see Cybertron dead than corrupted by your philosophies of decadency."

Fireblade let out a frustrated growl. "I am long past the point of arguing with you, Strika. This ends today!"

Her blade expelled a flare that temporarily blinded Strika, allowing Fireblade to shove her. But the advantage didn't last, for Strika brought her mace to block the next were two old fighters who had battled against each other many times before. They knew their opponent's moves and mannerisms. Each strike was parried, no matter on both sides. All the while, the two giants came stomping all over the place.

"You should have never left the warrior cast to enter the gladiatorial pits." Strika sneered.

"That was the wisest decision in my life. I learnt to see the Universe another way. And when Megatron rose up, I saw him for what he truly was. Unlike you, who fell for his twisted fantasies!"

"You will eat those words!" Strika kneed her in the solar plexus, but Fireblade didn't allow the pain to distract her even by a nanoklik. What did distract her though was that the newest member of her squadron, Grindor, had been tackled by an enemy and was about to be decapitated by another.

"Grindor!" seeing no other option, Fireblade hurled her sword against the would-be executioner, stabbing him. Grindor released himself and finished off the other one.

But that saving of her squadron member cost her dearly. Strika hit her in the nape with the mace and kicked her against a wall. Fireblade felt a sharp pain traveling from her back to her chest. Strika had stabbed her with a keen piece of debris.

"You save a disgraced soldier doomed to fail instead of saving yourself? You bring shame to anyone who calls themselves warleader." Strika growled, bringing her mace high to give the final blow.

"STRIKA!" two voices roared behind and she turned to see Grindor and Drift, both members of Fireblade's squadron, challenging her.

"As for you, traitors." Strika snarled at the ex-Decepticons. "Your punishment for turning your backs on the Decepticon cause is long overdue. I will resolve that. Now!"

Grindor and Drift split when Strika charged at them. Their best tactic seemed to be keeping mobile and separated, while hitting Strika with everything they had. That plan kept them alive but not winning. Shots seemed to bounce off the giant Decepticon's armor.

Strika transformed and rained a barrage of missiles on them both. Grindor was blown away and Drift hit in the leg, left crippled. Strika seized the opportunity and jumped on Drift, mace ready for the finishing strike.

"DIE!" the mace came down, but not like Strika intended. One moment she was a klik to add one more Autobot to her killcount, the next her hand is severed smoothly and falls dead on the ground, mace and all. So great was the shock, she practically felt no pain. Strika looked around to see the human vehicle with the molecular slicer pointed at her.

"Vermin humans! I will OBLITERATE you all!"

"Strika!" the General was in shock to see her sworn enemy, badly injured with the shard still in place, charging at her. Before she could defend herself, Fireblade cut off her head.

"The difference between you and I, Strika," the victor spoke to the corpse of the fallen. "is that I look after those I lead, and they look after me in return."

The Autobots were victorious in Sector AZ3. The energon refineries of the citadel would no longer serve the Decepticons.

* * *

**Victory Lanes (fka Greenwich Village), Impervial.**

Optimus paid a quick glance to the morbid display of Decepticon art. The neighbourhood that used to be Greenwich Village, now called Victory Lanes by the Decepticon residents doubled as a public, outdoors museum. The art itself were countless lifeless, rusting husks of KIA Autobots hanging as trophies for public appreciation. As a Cybertronian, Optimus can't throw up in disgust, but were he human, he was sure he would do it. Looking at his fellow Autobots, they had similar feelings.

But now was not the time for mourning. That always came after energon or blood was spilled. The Autobots kept pushing their spearhead deeper into the heart of New Kaon and the Victory Lanes was another step they had to take. The fight was going evenly for both sides and the tie-breaker was the struggle between the heavy hitters: the Dinobots and the Combaticons.

The volatile leader Grimlock, the enthusiastic scout Swoop, the aggressive-passive tactician Slug, the patient medic Snarl and the paranoid logistician Sludge. All in their bestial alt-modes had teamed up against the combiner Bruticus. The Decepticon threw a clenched fist at Grimlock's feral head. The tyrannosaurus growled in fury and launched its jaws at Bruticus' left hand and gripped it with every intention of ripping it off.

"Let go of Bruticus!" the combiner tried to shake him off but Grimlock was relentless. Bruticus transformed his other hand into a blaster and would have shot the Dinobot leader hadn't Swoop and Slug assaulted him. The pterosaurs flew around Bruticus' head and fired several shots while the triceratops charged at his leg, knocking him in one knee.

"Stupid Dinobots! You not so tough!" that insult aggravated his attackers even more. Snarl, the stegosaurus, slashed his spiked tail at Bruticus' other foot, bringing him to his knees. Next, Sludge, the brachiosaurus, stood on his hindlegs and brought every ton in his body against Bruticus' back, putting the combiner down at last.

"No one is tougher than us, Dinobots!" Grimlock roared.

"You tell him, Grim." Swoop cheered their victory.

"_The Dinobots have triumphed, but we still need to mop up these Decepticons before we can keep moving further close to Grey Spear._" Optimus couldn't see it from his place, but he knew once they were close enough to the tower, he would have to destroy it and every Decepticon inside with the Star Saber. It was the only option, for they didn't have the firepower to stand against the fully-armed HQ.

A groundbridge vortex opened and Optimus tensed. It was impossible for that bridge to be of Autobot origin. His fears were confirmed when Megatron emerged followed by ranks of his Decepticons, the Stunticons included.

"Optimus, a fine day for an invasion. One I shall launch on your city once I obliterate your puny troops here and now!"

"After you stomp on my sparkless shell, Megatron."

"That's the point." Megatron smirked. The newly arrived Decepticons reinforced the enemy and the Autobots saw themselves outnumbered. The Stunticons combined into Menasor and engaged the Dinobots.

Optimus knew he could end it all with the Star Saber, eradicate every Decepticon in his wake and win this conflict with a flick of his arms. But he wouldn't do it. Megatron would, but not him. Instead he transformed his arms into regular battle blades and charged at his sworn enemy.

"You refuse to use your shiny blade and prefer to fight me fairly?" Megatron growled in his face. "I'm more than happy to oblige, if you are so willing to give me an advantage."

"Don't flatter yourself." sometimes Optimus was just fed up with Megatron's smugness. They were with swords locked, pushing eachother to the limit. Megatron held his ground and kicked Optimus' legs, distracting him enough to throw a punch. Optimus staggered back:

"You should have spent more time in the gladiatorial arena!" Megatron lunged at him, sword in point to stab him in the Spark. Optimus moved out of the way and put a foot forward to make him trip. Megatron wobbled but maintained his footing.

"And perhaps you should have spent more time in the library." Optimus spoke with a rare pinch of humor.

"Ah, Optimus. You came to my city, believing your chances of victory were assured. But my surprise arrival has turned the tide. Your trump card Dinobots are not faring well."

Though he dared not to take his optics from Megatron, Optimus had taken peeks to the battle around. The Dinobots were indeed facing difficulties for not only the destruction machine that was Menasor was rampaging around, but Bruticus was getting back up.

"Bruticus back in action!" he kicked Slug, grabbed Swoop and tossed him into the ground.

"Menasor smash!" he brought his clenched fists down like raging gorilla, nearly pounding Grimlock into the ground.

"Then allow me to inform you, Megatron," Optimus gave a small smile, invisible beneath his battlemask. "that I have brought a surprise of my own."

Momentarily disengaging from Megatron and kicking him back, Optimus shouted:

"Dinobots, Untamable King now!"

"About slaggin' time, Prime!" Grimlock roared. All Dinobots gathered and began to transform, but it was neither in dinosaur or robot mode. Grimlock became a blocky, sturdy structure, his tail a drill-like appendage. Sludge became a left leg, Snarl a right leg. Slug turned into a left arm. And Swoop transformed into a head. To the daze and fright of every Decepticon and most of the Autobots, the Dinobots were combining.

The new bipedal 'Bot, standing ten feet above both Menasor and Bruticus, had Grimlock's tail for a drill-left-arm. The tyrannosaurus head stood out in the center of the chest.

"Indominus online, ready for smash!" the giant's growl drowned every other noise. Every 'Con and 'Bot halted to see this colossal monster in action. There was little room for the titanic Indominus to move, but he solved the problem by picking up Bruticus and tossing him into Menasor. The two fell against a building, demolishing it totally. But they weren't out just yet. Menasor pushed Bruticus off of him and charged at Indominus with unthinking fury.

"You make Menasor MAD! MENASOR CRUSH YOU!"

"Nobody crushes Indominus! INDOMINUS IS KING!" the drill-arm began to spin and Indominus impaled the stupidly charging Menasor. His torso component was pierce from chest to back and exploded into parts. The Stunticons that made up the limbs were still alive, though barely. Motormaster, who was the chest, couldn't be more dead though.

Bruticus, who had watched the death of his berserker comrade, was feeling _divided_ for the first time in his combined existence. He wanted to go and fight; he was Bruticus, that's what he does. But unlike Menasor, he could think a bit more clearly, even if he didn't do it often. Bruticus was aware that he could die. So which one, brutality or survival?

Frag it, he was Bruticus, for Spark's sake! He's brutal.

"Bruticus brutalizes!" he charged.

"Indominus brutalizes Bruticus!" the Dinobot combiner opened the tyrannosaurus' head on the chest and fired a storm of fire at Bruticus. The heat put him in deep stasis, but still in better shape than Menasor.

The Decepticons lost their will to fight. Two of their heavy-hitters were down and the Autobots were still in strength. Megatron, in spite of all the rage he felt, new the battle was lost.

"Decepticons, retreat." he gave the reluctant order. Groundbridges opened and the Decepticons turned tail and fled. But Megatron transformed and rose up. The battle may be lost, but he could still take the victory from the Autobots.

"Cyclonus!" he called out through his comm-link. "Before you retreat, go to Grey Spear and fire the fusion cannons at the Autobots."

"_But Master, that will obliterate more than a quarter of Impervial._"

"I care not! The whole city can burn if Optimus Prime and his new soldier burn with it! Now fire the fusion cannons and salt the earth! Immediately!"

Down on Victory Lanes, the Autobots were cheering their victory. Many praised Indominus, increasing the combiner's ego. Blaster alerted Optimus:

"Prime, something's wrongo. I'm picking up a growing energy burst northeast of our position, a few kilometers of distance."

"Can you pin-point the exact location of the source?"

"No, too much electromagnetic feedback, but I have a pretty good, nasty hunch I know where it's coming."

Of course Megatron wouldn't let New Kaon just fall into Autobot hands. His pride and arrogance wouldn't allow him. No doubt the Grey Spear was pointing its fusion cannons at them right now.

"Indominus, are you strong enough to carry me to the top of that building?" Optimus shouted. If Indominus was just as rebellious and proud as Grimlock, giving a conventional order wouldn't go easy on him. So Optimus gave his command like a challenge and Indominus did as he 'asked'.

From his now elevated spot, he could see the fusion cannons firing up. It was now or never. There was but one choice. Optimus gripped the hilt of the Star Saber and sliced an arch of energy at the Grey Spear, obliterating the cannons and practically the whole structure. Every Decepticon inside, minus Cyclonus who flew out in time, perished.

"It is over. For now." he sighed.

* * *

**1st September 2018. 5 Years and 301 days AE.**

**Impervial (renamed Manhattan), New Kaon (renamed New York).**

Three days had passed since the Autobots took over the Decepticon capital. After the citadel fell, the rest of the districts were simply mopped up stragglers. Optimus afterwards relabelled the city its original human name. Wheeljack and Warpath took great pleasure in blowing up Megatron's statue on Liberty Island and erase the inscription on the pedestal. It was all meant to gradually erase the Decepticon stain on New York.

The best of all is, Autobot casualties were very light, while the enemy suffered a devastating blow. They lost their capital and heart of any possible attack on Autobot territory, a combiner, hundreds of drones, dozens of soldiers and a General.

Now New York was an Autobot city, an advanced outpost for the Autobots to keep piercing into Decepticon dominion. Fortunately, New York was out of range of Ristvak'baen's fusion cannons, so Megatron couldn't just order the city pulverized out of spite.

On a garage, Jack was refilling some energy cells in the 'Con Grinder with a light feeling. This victory had lifted many brows and spirits. Back on Cybertron, he heard the Autobots were never able to successfully invade and conquer a Decepticon major city. Many began to whisper the end of Megatron was in sight. He certainly hopped so.

"Hey, Jack." Miko walked in the garage with slow, tentative steps. Last he heard of her, she was resting. The backache plaguing her hadn't subsided yet.

"Hello, yourself." he greeted cheerfully. Today was a great day!

"I got something to tell you." her expression was crestfallen, even a tad fearful. Something that could put Miko like this was bad news, he thought. "About the backache and others things I noticed."

"What is it, then?" he was almost afraid to ask.

"I...I'm pregnant."

And just like that, that great day for Jack turned cold and cloudy.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Megatron was in a bad mood. His followers knew better than to make a move in fear of him unleashing his pent up anger on them. After the loss of New Kaon, Megatron had given severe punishments to Decepticons who commit offenses like 'walking too loud' or 'being happy'.

Ristvak'baen was not large enough to accommodate every Decepticon, so the bulk of their army was scattered throughout other outposts and towns on their dominion. Lucky were the ones who got to get away. They wouldn't have a super-combustible energon barrel as a Lord above them.

"_Lord Megatron,_" that was Cyclonus' voice in the intercomm. "_I am prepared to return to Ristvak'baen._"

Cyclonus had been sent to Cybertron to retrieve some resources that could be much needed. Megatron could hardly believe how low they had fallen, scrapping for parts and tools on their dead planet.

Soundwave, the only other mech who kept calm in Megatron's presence, opened a spacebridge for the Commander to return. As the outline of Cyclonus formed on the vortex, Megatron couldn't stop thinking of all the advantages the Autobots possess: Wreckers who exhausted New Kaon's sources of energon income, spies who infiltrated the watchtowers, the scientist Perceptor who undoubtedly was involved in the creation of the Dinobot combiner, the ancient Fireblade who defeated his best General, the hive of vermin scraplets controlled by that blasted human and the Star Saber wielded by Optimus.

"_The Autobots have too many advantages, one doesn't have to wonder how they could take over the capital._" Megatron thought angrily. "_Is there no one who can give me an advantage over them?!_"

"My liege." Cyclonus bowed before him. In his train of thought, he hadn't noticed his SIC arriving.

"I find myself in urgent need of good tidings, Cyclonus. So please tell me you have found something of use."

"Not a thing, Master. But I have found someone." Cyclonus stepped aside to allow Megatron to see someone else coming out of the portal.

Heavy footsteps echoed from beyond the tornado of light. A bulky shape with asymmetrical arms began to turn visible. The quizzing look that Thundercracker, the present scientist chief, was giving it turned into bleak astonishment. The figure was of violet armor, its left arm a long, blocky cannon. Its face, a single, big red optic.

"He lives!" Thundercracker exclaimed.

"Shockwave. Just the technical advantage I needed." Megatron smirked like a shark. Since the fall of New Koan he hadn't done that.

* * *

Whomever guesses where I took **Indominus**' form from, gets **spoilers prize** about the arcs of this story. No, not from Jurassic World, I only took the name from the movie and hold no ownage over it. But the combiner form, I was inspired from a **TV show**. Try to guess. And there was a scene with the new scraplets in action but it was cut due to the chapter's length.

**FIVE DISTRICTS OF NEW KAON:**

**Impervial (Manhattan)** is the citadel of New Kaon, surrounded by an skyscrap-sized wall and protected by anti-ground and anti-air weaponry. It's the center of command of the city, very well supplied and defended, functions as a nigh-impenetrable fortress, reason why Starscream named it so.

Though the district is composed mostly of skyscrapers, the place that used to be Central Park is now a large gladiatorial arena for Decepticon blood sport. The military HQ, Grey Spear (formerly known as Chrysler Building) is armed with long range weaponry and second only to Ristvak'baen.

**Iron Lands** **(Brooklyn)**, functions as the district of resource extraction. Though every district has their own energon refineries, Iron Lands contains the largest number of them and is the main source of fuel to the city. New Kaon's factories, weapons, vehicles and stationed troops demand thousands of energon cubes a day to keep everything running. Even at the peak of production, the Iron Lands could barely keep up with demand. For that, the city required energon sources from other places, such as Megatronus' Claw (Atlantic City). Since the Wreckers have been attacking these off-city sources, Iron Lands factories have been pressed to maximum production.

The Iron Lands also provide a source of alloys extracted from the ground, though their rate of extraction and demand isn't nearly as high as energon.

**The Forges (Queens)**, a landscape covered in low-level infrastructure of factories. As the name indicates, it's the industrial sector of New Kaon and where the metals and a large quantity of the energon refined on Iron Lands are sent for consumption.

The only aspect of this district that poses as a monument is the Unisphere, which was cyberformed into a much larger sphere and bears the Decepticon insignia now. The monument has a cybertronian inscription saying: 'By any means necessary, for the future of all Decepticons'

**Bronx (The Bronx)**, Starscream didn't bother giving it a new name, as this district holds no defining element. Merely acts as a gateway to the city, constantly on the watch for Autobot spies trying to sneak in.

**Shallow Pits (Staten Island**) is the lesser, under-developed district where the Vehicons are produced and dwell when not on duty. Now that all of the surviving Decepticon army has come to Earth, Vehicons have lost their place in the warrior ranks in favor of true Decepticon warriors. Therefore they were virtually all downgraded to workers whose energon rations and rights are even less. They are only allowed in the main city during their work shifts and are forced to labour exhaustingly. Never easy to be a Steve.


	11. Chapter 11

**Game-Watch: **I'm glad to meet someone who agrees with me. So many others say it's possible just because of 'the power of fanfiction'. Pfft!

**Gabby M**: You are correct, Indominus' form came from Power Rangers. But without an account of your own, I can't PM you. Until you get one (or any other means of communication with you), I can't give you the prize.

* * *

**1st September 2018. 5 Years and 301 days AE.**

**Impervial (renamed Manhattan), New Kaon (renamed New York).**

"I...I'm pregnant."

And just like that, that great day for Jack turned cold and cloudy.

"What?"

"I'm pregnant." She confirmed.

Silence.

"Miko if this is another joke…"

"I'm not joking!" she replied hotly. "I've been having pains and...my monthly visitor is way too late. I'm pregnant, thanks in no small part to you."

"Hey, are you pinning this on me?"

"Well, you were the one always too eager, if you ask me!"

"I don't recall having heard you complain!"

The sound of a deep, clearing throat stopped their rising argument and they looked up to see Ratchet giving them a quizzing look:

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh, kinda…it's Miko, she" Jack received a pleading look from her, subtly shaking her head. Was she asking him not to tell? Then he quickly finished with "…needs to go back to Geneva. That's right!"

"Then in my medic opinion, is counterproductive to just stand here arguing about it. Call the Nexus and ask for transportation." he was totally oblivious to the hints of human deception.

* * *

**Human house, Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva.**

The journey back to their shared home was silent. After the close call with Ratchet, they quietly passed any Autobot, ignoring greetings and starting conversations. The house felt like little refuge, as if their secret could possibly burst out of the place and reveal itself to the world.

Miko must have kept all the emotion and apprehension bottled up because when she sat on the couch, the woman broke down in tears and sobs. Jack had to sit down and console her. The Miko he knew never cried when the future seemed uncertain and bleak. Well, except for that time after Earth was killed. And the other time when Bulkhead was murdered.

"What now?" she asked after minutes of sobbing. "What will the 'Bots think?"

Jack knew what he was about to suggest was little better than cowardice. "Let's not tell them, yet. We…we'll figure something out eventually. But right now we're too shaken up. We need time. Maybe it's just a false alarm." He tried to conceal the unrest in his voice but was only half-successful.

"And then what?" she asked with an accusing glare behind the half-dried tears. "What will you tell when my stomach swells? That I'm going fat?"

"Is that an option?" he asked with half-intent of lightening the mood. It didn't work as Miko shot him a cold glare. Jack could only ask himself what they would do. What could _he_ do?

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

"Lord Megatron." Shockwave bowed.

"This is quite an unexpected turn. I thought you had perished on Cybertron, or so I was told." Megatron stroke his chin, mentally blaming Starscream for that misinformation.

"Reports of my demise were greatly premature, my liege. A pair of Autobots infiltrated my facility on Cybertron, sabotaging my spacebridge. I gave chase but failed to accurately calculate the outcome. I awoke in the rubble, blinded. It soon became clear that I was marooned on our dead planet with no means of communication.

"In time, I repaired my wounds and resumed my experiments. The solitude enabled me to make tremendous advances in my research. Until one day, my instruments detected a massive surge of unidentifiable energy. I traveled to investigate its origin at the edge of the Sea of Rust, where I stumbled upon the smoldering wreckage of the Omega Lock. It was logical to assume that had been a battle site. But whoever had engaged in conflict had already been gone.

"I resumed my solitude until another alarm detected an intruder. It was then I encountered Commander Cyclonus."

"And so you have been rescued." Megatron concluded, feeling he had heard enough.

"Which leaves only one question. One I would ask of Starscream: why was I left for dead?" the scientist gave a look around, searching for said Seeker.

"Unfortunately we have lost Commander Starscream in battle. Sadly he is not here to satisfy your question. But know that Cyclonus is now my SIC and as proven to be far more successful than his predecessor."

Shockwave gave a curt look to the purple and graycommander before turning back to Megatron:

"I am ready to serve again, my liege."

"Then let us clarify our chain-of-command. Cyclonus will remain my first lieutenant in military operations, Shockwave is once again chief-scientist and first lieutenant in all scientific endeavors."

"Chief-scientist?" Thundercracker stammered. "B-but Master, that is my position."

"Not anymore. You will work as Shockwave's assistant." Megatron coldly downgraded the pale blue and grey Starscream-lookalike. Then turned back to the cyclops and gave him the update. "Unfortunately, we are in need of warriors, not scientists. The Autobots have put all their resources into an assault on our capital. We have lost the city and our heart for any eventual aggression on their territory. Now, they have a foothold on ours."

"During my exile on Cybertron, I resumed work on a long-dormant project, one that I believe may provide a solution to our current problem. A project whose goal was this very same planet." Megatron took the subtle hint that Shockwave preferred to argue the matter they both knew in private.

"Then allow us to discuss this inside." Megatron ordered Soundwave and Cyclonus to accompany them. They were trustworthy. The four descended to a briefing room that Soundwave had closely secured for eavesdroppers. Even at the heart of the Decepticon territory, the chief of surveillance could never be too cautious.

Shockwave walked to a computer and inserted some of his files, showing nothing that appeared to be warfare science. But rather archeological documentaries of Cybertron's prehistorical beasts.

"Predacons?" Cyclonus inquired, utterly confused.

"It is time to enlighten some among us." Megatron spoke this only to him, meaning the other two were already inside the secret. "You see, Commander, when it became clear there would be nothing left to conquer on Cybertron, and Soundwave learnt our enemies were shipping their energon spoils off to this planet, I sanctioned a top secret project of Shockwave.

"From the ancient remains of the vicious Predacons, Shockwave was able to clone a small army and dispatched them to this planet. Their mission was to eradicate the Autobots stationed here and guard the energon deposits while awaiting my arrival.

"Of course our reunion here was much delayed and time took a great toll on the beasts."

"But logic dictates their remains still endure. And from which I could extract their CNA and clone a new army."

"Forgive my poor understanding of science," Cyclonus addressed Shockwave. "but I assume cloning an army of extinct beasts will take time. Time which is something we are running short on, with the Autobots ready to keep pushing into our domain."

"Indeed, we need more immediate solutions." Megatron agreed.

"Although I cannot accelerate a freshly resurrected project such as this, I have other alternatives. Amongst my endeavors in my time marooned on Cybertron, I have a specimen fully grown."

"There is an Autobot army occupying New Kaon, Shockwave. Will one beast be enough?" Megatron frowned.

"I will let you be the judge of that, my liege."

* * *

Back on the throne veranda of Ristvak'baen, Megatron waited impatiently for Shockwave to return with this 'beast machine' he claimed. The spacebridge reopened and Shockwave emerged from it.

"Well?" Megatron quirked an eyebrow, fed up of waiting.

"Lord Megatron, I give you" Shockwave waved his real arm to the vortex. "the ultimate Autobot hunter."

An eerie growl echoed from the bridge, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps. A shape became visible. It was barely able to pass through the vortex, standing over two Megatrons tall. Its features became more recognizable, every other Decepticon grew more awed and frightened. The new arrival walked on fours, with a large head and muzzle attached to a powerful neck. Two yellow, featureless optics and a pair of jaws were Megatron could fit his waist.

The beast was massive, sporting a pair of imposing wings and a long, articular tail with a sharp end. The talons scratched the metal floor wherever the paws made contact with it. The guards were tense, eager to get away from the creature like a herd of prey flees from its natural predator. Cyclonus was clearly nervous but tried to maintain his composure. Even Soundwave himself seemed...on edge with the beast.

Megatron himself couldn't deny he was frightened, but showed no fear when he got up from the throne and approached the beast. Part of being a leader meant showing no fear even when you were indeed scared.

"It does my Spark good to see you again tampering with creation, Shockwave." he looked the creature in the face, which emitted some faint groans. He placed a clawed hand on the snout and was pleased to hear it groaning softly. "A remarkable specimen it is."

Fear aside, Megatron could appreciate this primal force of nature. He had not seen it in battle yet, but he felt the Predacon possessed a savage might he had rarely observed before. Only in the toughest fights he endured in the Pits of Kaon had Megatron unleashed the beast within him. There were times when great gladiators pit against each other went berserk and performed a battle that became legendary.

Yet this creature was a beast by itself. No reason, no distractions, no mercy, only the desire to hunt and fight for survival. The supreme survival instinct that Megatron could admire.

"It seems very promising, Shockwave. I would like to see our newest asset on a field test."

"The beast is programmed to obey your commands." Shockwave informed.

"Excellent. Soundwave, follow me."

Megatron transformed and took off, Soundwave following him. The Predacon extended its wings, flapped them to gain impulse and followed the two Decepticons. The hunt had begun.

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Autobot Outpost.**

When New York fell into the hands of the Autobots, the surrounding smaller cities controlled by Decepticons were ordered to fall back. Megatron is wise to see no point in keep fighting a lost battle. Harrisburg was a military settlement, now used as a frontier of the buffer zone between the Autobots of the east and Decepticons of the west.

"Get your backs into it!" Busterblade barked. He wasn't the softest Autobot on the words, but was the toughest with his swords. He was put in charge of thirteen Autobots to occupy and ressuply Harrisburg. "Blast 'em Decepticons took every scrap of energon they could carry and blew everything they could not. So better start building a center of operations, our own watchtower."

"Hey, boss. Are we expecting air support?" one of the workers questioned.

"Is your processor fried? Why would we need air fraggin' support?" Busterblade growled. The answer never came for an animalistic shriek filled their audio receptors. The one who asked the question pointed to the sky where the draconic shape was coming.

The Predacon opened its jaws and let out a meteor of flames so intense that melted the worker into a molten mass. The Autobots went into red alert and prepared for a fight. Busterblade unsheathed his twin swords and ran to face the beast that landed before them. The Predacon grabbed him in its jaws and crushed him. When it was done with the other Autobots, there was nothing bigger than a limb. The slaughter was short-lived and totally one-sided.

All the while Megatron and Soundwave watched at a distance, the war leader with sick glee.

"Soundwave, make certain you record everything. I will enjoy re-watching this field test for many times to come."

* * *

**4th September 2018. 5 Years and 304 days AE.**

**Palace of Nations, Geneva HQ.**

Optimus arrived to the meeting room with a black and blocky object that filled his whole servo. Inside were Ultra Magnus, Rodimus and Ratchet, awaiting the Prime return with the object.

"We found very little of our outpost in Charlottesville, Virginia. Everything and everyone had been slaughtered."

"Blast those 'Cons!" Rodimus punched a table. He was in charge of the Autobot colonization of the Decepticon outposts surrounding New York that were abandoned following the conquest of the capital. Until recently, the Autobots had New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and the east halves of Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the last three days, an unknown force has been eradicating scattered frontier outposts, making flesh wounds on the Autobot sphere. Virginia and Pennsylvania took great tolls. No survivors.

"I was able to salvage the black box. There is something you all must hear."

He touched the black box and the sound of shouts, roar and firearms burst in the room. Nothing that could make sense until a young voice cried:

"_Predacon! It's a Predacon! It's a…"_ Static. Optimus turned it off and looked to his incredulous Autobots.

"Optimus, surely you don't believe this. That soldier was obviously in the heat of a desperate battle and made a wrong assumption."

"I have to agree with Rodimus, sir." Ultra Magnus said.

"Though the post-mortem analysis of their bodies reveals what rip them apart _could_ have been claws and fangs, I have a hard time imagining that creatures long extinct were able to resurrect themselves and slaughter our forces."

"Maybe not resurrected by their own hand, but by the Decepticons. Megatron has been known to make the dead rise back from the grave." Optimus reminded him grimly.

"Are you saying that Megatron could have gone to Cybertron and used his Dark Energon to bring an old fossil back to life?"

Optimus didn't answer immediately, pondering. "It is possible, old friend. But for this undead beast to remain in his control, Megatron would be needed in close proximity. In any of these attacks there is no evidence Megatron was present."

"No offense, but I still have trouble believe this whole 'blood of Unicron' thing." Rodimus spoke awkwardly, drawing three pairs of optics to himself. "Sure I believe Optimus' word any cycle and I have read the logs. But the idea of something coming back from the dead as some mindless ghoul is… kinda unbelievable."

"You can believe it, Rodimus. This war has revealed many hideous revelations." Ultra Magnus spoke sagely, a tone mostly used by Optimus.

Said Prime was again pondering over an old memory in his processor. "I recall a disturbing coincidence." His statement caught the attention of the others back to him. "Before we departed Cybertron, our scout ships delivered the majority of our energon spoils to the prehistoric Earth, as you well know. But our arrival here was much delayed, in the end of humanity's twentieth century. We quickly realized the Decepticons had previously captured most of our energon deposits and all the Autobots previously stationed here to guard them were deceased. Save for Autoclave."

Autoclave was a fairly known infamous Autobot, being the only survivor of the scouts and warriors sent to prehistoric Earth to guard the energon. Autoclave remained on Earth, surviving the passage of millions of years in stasis.

When Ratchet awakened him, Autoclave was discovered to have irreversible damage to his processor. He kept saying a single word, nonstop: Predacon.

"Sir, are you saying you suspect Predacons may have before been in service to the Decepticons? Pardon me, but that theory seems quite farfetched." Magnus opined.

"Even if the Decepticons could have excavated a fossilized remain on Cybertron, cloning a beast from a meager rusting bone would take a scientific expertize imaginable. Only Shockwave could have achieved that, probably. And we have confirmation he perished on Cybertron." Ratchet struck his chin.

"There are too many variables unknown yet. I will have Blaster increase surveillance on our frontier outpost and reinforce their garrisons."

* * *

**Lake Geneva.**

Optimus watched Lake Geneva, paying attention to the movement of the water in the soft wind. Any other Cybertronian would say staring at this alien liquid was pointless but Optimus had learnt to appreciate many things in this alien planet.

The movements of the water were a good mediation spectacle. He preferred the peaceful waters of lakes and rivers rather than the thundering waves of the sea. He ignored the noise of the city without shutting his audio receptors and focused only on the movements of the lake. Somehow they allowed his processor to work and relieve stress. On occasion he had achieved a few revelations and solutions to problems just by looking at it.

"Optimus." He turned to glare at Arcee approaching him.

"You are troubled, Arcee." It wasn't a question; he just knew his teammates too well.

"Not as much as Jack." She elaborated. "He's been quiet and distant since the battle of New York. Like he doesn't trust me."

"You know as well as I do that Jack, as your partner, would never distrust you."

"I know but he's showing it in a weird way. I tried to talk with him about what's the problem but he either avoids the subject or says he had something else to do. I had hoped that you could talk to him. Maybe he'll budge to a Prime." She gave a ghost of a smile and Optimus agreed after a minute of considering.

* * *

He met Jack by the edge of the city, an area that was used by the humans and the Autobots ignored. Jack sat on the terrace of a never-used house and Optimus joined him. The man must have been truly trapped in his thoughts because he only noticed Optimus' approach when he was right there.

"Optimus, you need me for something?" he asked a bit eagerly.

"No Jack, I merely wish to speak with you."

"Oh, okay."

Optimus carefully sat by the edge of the terrace, Jack by his side. The metal titan took his silent time before proclaiming. "What is disturbing you, my friend?"

"Uh, nothing." Jack sounded confused but a tad nervous.

"Arcee begs to differ."

"For the love of scrap! Can't she get a hint I'm fine?!"

"If Arcee alerted me is because she is concerned of your welfare, as any devoted partner would be." Optimus argued wisely. He looked Jack in the eye and asked again. "What is troubling you?"

Jack didn't want to talk but a look from the Prime could be very persuading. The aura of power, authority, mercy and gentleness to all life had that effect on people. Arcee was right, a Prime could make the most stubborn being budge.

"Optimus…what I'm about to tell does not leave this conversation. Miko doesn't want anyone else to know."

"I promise."

"Right…" the man began awkwardly. "The truth is…Miko is pregnant. With my…child."

Even one as stoic as Optimus could betray a bit of shock, but it was just a pair of wide optics which immediately returned to their serious frown.

"I see." The Prime took a pause:

"Jack, it would be arrogant and stupid of me to claim I understand what you or Miko are going through. But I understand and believe you should go through this together. And forgive me if I am misguided as there are many aspects of your species I do not grasp, but the coming birth of a new human life should be a reason of rejoice for both of you."

"Rejoice?!" Jack looked at him scandalized. "You think I want this, asked for this? Miko and me are fighting a war of giant-freaking-robots! We're barely in our twenties! You think we can look after a kid?! You think _I_ can be a DAD?!

"And the worst is the kid." Jack looked down in despair. "How are we supposed to raise a child in _this_?" he pointed to the Autobot capital. "A kid's not supposed to grow up in the middle of an alien war. A kid must grow around other kids! But there's none! How am I supposed to go to the kid and tell him 'You're the last human. Thought luck, buddy'?!"

Optimus gave him time to vent out his frustration. When someone has this kind of emotional meltdown, they eventually reveal what is perturbing their feelings. As Jack has just done.

"What of Miko? What does she think? Does she not desire the child, too?"

"I…dunno. We've been apart. I just want to be alone."

"Then you give me no choice." Optimus got up and adopted a military frown that made him even more similar to Ultra Magnus. "Jackson Darby, you are hereby forbidden from participating in anymore warfare activities until new orders. You are temporarily dismissed and thus are ordered to spend your time with Miko. Are we understood?"

"Wait, what?" Jack was agape.

"Are we understood?" Optimus frown deepened.

"Yes, sir." The man replied a bit shyly. He never imagined Optimus could be this cold-scary.

"Good." He began to take his leave but stopped to say. "And I will give the same orders to Miko. For now, your duties are to spend time with each other and talk. Make sure you perform them as with much determination as you have your missions."

* * *

**In the house.**

Jack walked in to see Miko sitting with a bowl of oatmeal, shooting an absent glare out the window.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he closed the door behind him.

"Just fine." Her reply was void of emotion. She was still in sleeping clothes, her hair disheveled and with a bit of sweaty smell.

"When was the last time you got out of the house?"

"Three days." She kept answering monotonously and not taking her sight of the window.

"_Come to think of it, I haven't been home for three days_." Jack mentally slapped himself for having neglected her.

"Optimus wants me to spend more time with you."

"Funny, he told me the same thing through the comm." She retorted.

Feeling defeated, he sat down on a chair by her side. The woman continued to glare outside, like he wasn't even there.

"Miko, please lets talk about this."

"Now you want to talk?" she finally looked him with those unfocused eyes. "I've been alone in this stinking house for three days, hoping that you would come back."

"You never called me." Jack stood up for himself.

"Did I have to? Shouldn't you have stuck here? Or were you planning to hit the road like your deadbeat dad?" she snarled accusatorily.

Jack's rage exploded. He stood up and drew his hand back…and when he was about to strike, he stopped shocked with his own action. Miko too seemed shocked and hurt despite he had never slapped her.

The man staggered back and fell on his chair wordlessly. He felt a sickening feeling rising to his brain: that Miko could have been right?

If the world hadn't ended, if Jack still had somewhere else to go, would he have hit the road and abandoned Miko and _his child_. His child? The very idea sounded so strange and petrifying. Was this why his dad left him and mom when he was barely two months old?

"_Ah, but there's a difference between daddy and you, Jacky."_ Said a voice in his head. "_He walked out the door after you were born. You could have didge your kid before it came out_."

Assaulted by that revelation, Jack's self-loathing increased. Not only he could have turned out worse than his dad, but he had also almost _hit_ the woman he loves! What was he becoming?

"Miko." He let out a sigh, looking into her. The shock and hurt seem to have passed in her. "I don't want to be like my dad. I love you and I want to be here for you. Whatever call you make, I'll stand by you."

Miko took her time before answering.

"I never wanted to be a mom. I don't want to be stuck in a kitchen telling a kid to eat his vegetables. But when I think of what I have inside me. When I look outside…I don't want to get rid of it, even if I could. I don't know if I'm ready to be a mom…but I want this kid to grow with one."

"I said I'll stand by you, Miko. But I warn you, I don't have a clue of how to be a father. Never had one to look up to." He muttered the last part resentfully.

Miko revealed a bit of her old self and teased. "Maybe that's the whole fun of the adventure."

* * *

**18th September 2018. 5 Years and 318 days AE.**

**Ristvak'baen, Shockwave's lab.**

"Shockwave." Megatron entered the chief scientist's well-supplied laboratory with all sorts of tools and gadgets for cold, unsympathetic scientifical procedures. "How fairs Project Predacon?"

"Due to an unforeseen impediment, the project is suffering a severe delay, my liege."

Megatron frowned at the bad news.

"As you know, I have sent scores of Predacons to the planet, millions of years ago. On an organic world, the signals emitted by the microchips embedded in them would be fairly easy to track. But with this planet cyberformed, the alloys that make up the crust are corrupting the signal.

"I estimate that finding a substantial amount of bones from the dozens of specimens will take years, possibly decades."

"This will not do!" Megatron barked. "Though the Predacon may have performed beyond my highest expectations, having only one available beast long-term will severely limit our movements."

Megatron knew if an opponent such as Fireblade, Indominus or Optimus Prime wielding the Star Saber were to face the Predacon, there is a high chance of the Predacon loosing. By this time, his nemesis may have already discerned what happened to their outpost. Time is of essence and they could not afford to wait so long.

"Such as it is," Shockwave mused. "with no bones to be discovered in the next cycles, I could delegate my efforts on another side project. One with the intent of creating another variant of super-soldier."

"Do tell."

"I have informed myself of our list of resources and prisoners. Therefore…" and Shockwave explained this side project in detail.

"Very well, Shockwave. You have permission to create this super-soldier by all mean necessary."

"At once, my liege." the scientist paused and asked. "What should this project be labeled?"

"Call it Project: BlackArachnia."

* * *

**10****th**** February 2019. 6 Years and 100 days AE. (five months later)**

**Empire State Building, New York Autobot HQ.**

"Optimus, our outpost in Richmond, Virginia has been wiped out." Rodimus reported. "The 'Cons are again trying to bite our territory piecemeal."

"What about our soldiers?"

"Fortunately we managed to evacuate most personnel before something big and ugly landed and wrecked the place." Rodimus gave him a chip. "Better yet, Blaster's surveillance drones spied something you'll definitely want to see.

Optimus opened a small cavity on the back of his helm and inserted the chip. He downloaded the video feed of the outpost going into red alert. A violent shriek and a behemoth creature came snarling from the sky. Fire and shouts. And finally static. It had been short and mostly incoherent, but it was enough for Optimus to make out what had happened.

"I assume our surviving Autobots reported the same."

"Affirmative. All blabbered of some Unicron-spawn flying demon, but everything checks out it was the same Predacon."

"There is no doubt left. The Decepticons possess a resurrected Predacon beast at their service."

A beeping flared and Rodimus went for his comm-link.

"Optimus, we just got a report from Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. I sent them on a recon mission to a site of Decepticon activity in what used to be the Kentucky state."

"That is our buffer zone with the Decepticons." Optimus said. Kentucky was part of a barrier of states that now split the east and west. This barrier was empty and unoccupied; a true no-bot's land.

"Yes, sir. We barely detected the 'Cons pocking around in there through our long-range sensors. An all-out attack would probably spook them. The purpose of the mission is to learn why they're in Kentucky in the first place."

Optimus nodded approvingly. In the past, when Rodimus went by the name 'Hot Rod', he would have charged head on at any Decepticon, never considering any other options. The cycles of fighting and learning to command had molded him into a leader.

Rodimus connected the comm-link to a holographic projector and the head of Sideswipe appeared, looking somewhat disgruntled.

"'_Bout time you pick up a call_."

"We are here now, Sideswipe. What is your report?" Optimus asked patiently. The two brothers were not the easiest 'Bots to get along with.

"_Sunny and I found an actual Decepticon mining operation of sorts. But they're not mining energon. It appeared they were digging something out. We took a picture of the thing."_

The hologram changed to an alien, animalistic skull with horns and large fangs.

"What is that?" Rodimus asked.

"It is what I feared:" Optimus announced with grim. "the ancient remains of a Predacon. There is no doubt now that the Decepticons attained their newest asset through cloning of fossilized remains such as this one."

"But that still leaves one point against that theory, sir." Rodimus contradicted respectfully. "The only 'Con with the chops to pulls off that kind of cloning was Shockwave, and he bit the rust back on Cybertron."

"_Not that much, Rod."_ Sideswipe, his head visible again as a hologram. "_While we eavesdropped on the Vehicons, the chief mumbled about Shockwave wanting them to pick up the slag and dig out the bone._"

"Shockwave? Couldn't the drones have been ordered to say that as deceptive misinformation? Wouldn't be the first time the 'Cons attempt to trick us with that old gag."

"I doubt Megatron would use that trick at this point." Optimus discorded. "Shockwave is indeed online and has cloned a beast from a fossil. Said fossil found here on Earth belonged to the ancient Predacons we believed they had sent against our Autobot scouts stationed on prehistoric Earth."

"So Megatron plans to rebuild an army of beast from the remains of his old, rusted one? We could have Beast Wars on our hands. Have to give begrudging credit to Buckethead for that plan." Rodimus muttered like chewing something unpleasant.

"_Hello, we're still here_." Sideswipe muttered not enjoying being ignored. "_The 'Cons are gone and we're still here watching our chassis rust._"

"Right, you did a great work. Return to your outpost at once. Rodimus out."

"Rodimus Major, round up Ultra Magnus, Grimlock, Springer and Ironhide to the war council room. We must become Beast Hunters if we are to prevail over Megatron. As of now, the Beast Wars has begun."

* * *

**11****th**** February 2019. 6 Years and 101 days AE.**

**Ristvak'baen, Shockwave's top secret laboratory.**

"It's alive!" Shockwave made one of his very, very rare emotional displays. Project BlackArachnia, the attempt to create an intelligent super-soldier to face the Autobots on the field for the duration of the lengthy Project Predacon, was finished and now the super-soldier was booted online.

Behind the chief scientist stood Megatron, Thundercracker and Knockout. The first was observing while the two others had assisted in the project, Knockout even supplied one of the two subjects to the effort.

The limp form of the super-soldier known as BlackArachnia was strapped to a berth and receiving a high voltage of electro shock. When the discharge ended, BlackArachnia began to stir, its system slowly becoming online.

The creature was quite big and bulky almost reaching Megatron's height.

"An impressive combination, Shockwave." Megatron commented.

"Through the combination of serums and steroids of my own design coupled with the incomplete Synth-En formula provided by Knockout, BlackArachnia is powerful enough to be more than a match for the Dinobot Grimlock, maybe even the legendary Fireblade."

But when BlackArachnia was totally online, it roared in a combination of two different voices: "MEGATRON!" it made violent attempts to break free from its bonds and tear the Decepticon apart. The two assistants were frightened and took cover. Shockwave shocked BlackArachnia back into slumber. During the whole ordeal, Megatron didn't move an opticbrow.

"As you know, I powerlinxed the two test subjects into this war machine. To keepBlackArachnia an intelligent super-soldier, the intelligence of the two test subjects had to be maintained. Though the mind of Subject #2 was mostly corrupted because of Knockout's past indulgences." Shockwave explained.

"To keep BlackArachnia under control, I will activate the Master Control Protocol. A series of mental conditioning that will force the creature to obey your will and never deviate from it. Plus, should BlackArachnia ever disobey, you can activate a pain-giver implanted on its neural net with but a thought."

"Excellent, Shockwave. I will be certain to keep that in mind." Megatron gave the in-stasis super-soldier a sadistic smirk. He might just use the pain-giver for some amusement also.

Behind the crates that served as their would-be cover, Thundercracker and Knockout glared at each other:

"I can't believe we used _her_ to make that thing." muttered the Seeker.

"I can't believe we used my petproject to make that thing." muttered the automobile.

* * *

Jack had nearly a breakdown and a nasty revelation. Believe me, if humanity was still around, Jack would have probably hit the road, scared. I'm not demonizing him, I am humanizing him. This baby was unplanned and he's fighting a war. Plus he never had a father to write down some tips. What man wouldn't be scared?

Next time we'll learn more about BlackArachnia. Many of you probably already know what two made up that freak of nature. The Autobots will learn there will be a fourth human soon enough. But I warn you, I will not feature an explicit childbirth.


	12. Chapter 12

**Game-Watch:** That's a very interesting idea, never thought about it. Combiners are slightly better because they had the same height and strength, but they also have weapons and opposable thumbs. But that doesn't mean in a Predacon VS Combiner fight, the combiner always wins. It just has a better chance.

* * *

**13th February 2019. 6 Years and 103 days AE.**

**Human house, Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva.**

Jack Darby awoke early that morning and got out to smell the cool air and stretch his limbs. The air wasn't as moist as it had once been. Over the years, the lack of ocean water in the world made the climate become slightly drier.

But today wasn't the air that stood out for him. It was the blue motorcycle and the white car with red and green highlights. Wheeljack and Arcee were parked by the garage entrance.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"You and Miko, that's what." Arcee responded.

"You guys have been keeping to yourselves ever since we took down Buckethead from his pedestal in New York." Wheeljack clarified. Neither Autobot had transformed. "Now, I know I'm not the 'Bot expert on humans, but is obvious something's wrong with Miko. So spill."

"What Wheeljack means is" Arcee spoke with an undertone of aggravation at his stern tone to her partner. "we are you partners and have a right to know what is going on."

"You guys remember Optimus forbade us from participating in missions?"

"Yeah, thought we don't know why. But that doesn't mean you guys should sit on your afts in your home until you rust." Wheeljack retorted.

"Fair enough, yeah we have been keeping away from you guys." Jack sighed. The moment had come.

Since Jack and Miko patched things up and decided to keep the baby, they more or less resumed their lives with the Autobots, barring going on missions. Arcee had asked him why he ignored her during those three days before Optimus talked to him. But he gave no concrete answer and neither did Optimus. Jack simply assured her what had been wrong was made right and she wisely let it go.

But as time passed for Miko, she withdrew from Wheeljack and the Wreckers and restricted herself more to the house. This of course drew the worriness of her partner.

Jack and Miko knew sooner or later the 'Bots would demand answers and since Optimus promised he would not divulge their secret, it was up to them. They had agreed the next time they were asked about their isolationist behavior, the truth would be revealed.

Now Jack didn't feel like waking up Miko just to tell her it was time to come out of the closet and admit they would have a kid. Lately she had been a bit moody and that was definitely not the way to start the day for her. So he took it upon himself:

"Okay, we knew the truth would have to come out one of these days." He sighed, mentally preparing himself. "Miko is pregnant."

Arcee transformed, her faceplates overloading with shock. Whatever she had suspected was happening, it wasn't what he revealed. Wheeljack transformed next but his face was completely blank. Apparently he had no idea what the term meant.

"Pregnant? You mean with _your_…"

"Yep." Jack nodded. Arcee sighed:

"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself, Jack Darby. Congratulations." She said in a disappointed tone.

"Don't lecture like you're my mom."

"I may not be your mom, but I'm older than you. And I'm sure you weren't planning to become a dad just yet."

"This wasn't planned, okay. But we'll make it work. Miko and I will make it work." His admission seemed to appease the blue motorcycle a bit. She looked at the house looking for the mother-to-be.

"Where's Miko?"

"Still sleeping. She gets tired easily nowadays."

"Okay, enough you two!" Wheeljack burst. During the argument, Jack and Arcee had forgotten he was standing there. "You two been talking like you know what's going on, so fill me in, now! From what I just heard, this 'pregnant' thing sounds like a disease."

"Not a disease, so cool your oil!" Arcee admonished. "It's actually a natural thing for humans. At least for femme humans. June told me a thing or two, occasionally."

"Hold on." Jack cut her off, eyeing her weirdly. "You and my mom used to talk about me when I was…_unborn_?"

"Not you, specifically. It was about expecting mothers in the hospital of Jasper." Arcee explained herself quickly. A bit too quickly, in Jack's opinion.

Before Wheeljack could complain again they were ignoring him, Arcee resumed her explanation, which Jack was glad to let her. He wasn't in the mood to explain this to the mech.

"See, unlike us, humans don't come from anything like a Well of AllSparks on their planet. They are…_constructed_ within the body of a femme human until they're ready to come out." Arcee made few awkward hand gestures for reasons even she herself knew not.

"You're saying that _Miko_ will have a human sparkling…coming out of herself!" he finished the sentence agape.

"Believe me, I find it weird too but that's how humans reproduce. Primus knows why."

"But why'd Miko chose to make a sparkling? Why now, of all times?" he pressed.

"Miko didn't exactly get a choice." Arcee gave Jack a sideways blaming look. "The production of a human baby is only partly handled by the femme. The male human…uh, provides the _raw materials_ while the femme is in charge of the _construction_."

"Okay." Wheeljack said slowly. "But I've seen human babies while on patrol. They're small, alright, but no way small enough to fit inside Miko. How is it gonna come out?"

Arcee opened her mouth but then closed it. "Wheeljack, you _seriously_ don't want to know. Just be sure that Miko is biologically equipped to handle that part and will survive it. June only told me how human babies develop inside. I found out how they're made and how they come out on my own. Just like Ratchet did. Unfortunately."

Wheeljack was not convinced, looking from the femme to the man in suspicion, but he relented:

"Alright 'Cee, I'll take your word for it."

"_Thank Primus_." She sighed in her processor.

"But how long will this 'pregnant thing' last?"

"About four months more. A full pregnancy is nine months, give or take." Jack explained, feeling he could freely talk of that particular question with another male.

"There's a schedule for this thing?" the Wrecker seemed surprised. "Human biology is weird. Anyways, tell Miko I hope she recovers…or whatever it is."

He transformed and sped off. Jack got the impression Wheeljack didn't like dwelling in stuff he could not understand, human biology for example. His train of thought was broken down when a hard, metallic slap hit the back of his head.

"Ouch!" He massaged the hurt spot. Looking up he saw Arcee had slapped him with the tip of a servo. She glared back with a tense frown and deadly voice:

"What I just did now, informing Wheeljack on human's reproduction ways, I will never do for you again even if Unicron rises back from the core and begins selling energon cookies for sparklings. Are we clear, Jackson Darby?"

"Crystal clear, partner. And thanks."

She waved off his gratitude and groaned. "We'll talk later. After this little episode, I need some time to delete this conversation with Wheeljack." She transformed and took her leave.

"Well, that could have gone worse." He muttered, watching her go.

* * *

**Alpha Trion Memorial Hospital, Chief Medical Office.**

Ratchet was in his workstation organizing his tools when Wheeljack came in. The last time the Wrecker met him in this place was bringing a fatally wounded Bulkhead. And his burst in had knocked a collection of his tools off the shelves. But this time the warrior entered the office rather calmly, though Ratchet would have appreciated if he had knocked first.

"Wheeljack, what brings you here?"

"Nothing special, Doc. Just need a few answers. About medical stuff."

"Medical? Are you or any of your compatriots in need of repairs?" Ratchet's servo went for his medical kit, diligently prepared to assist any Autobot in need of medical help.

"_Human_ medical stuff."

For a moment, Ratchet was confused then comprehension struck. "Oh, I see you've learnt that Miko is with a youngling."

"Yeah, Arcee gave me a crash-course but refused to give in the details. Like, how do I know that thing that is growing inside my partner won't eventually burst through her? Or worse, eating her from the inside out like some scraplet?" Wheeljack grimaced at the thought.

Ratchet sighed heavily. "Wheeljack, if it were for any other reason, I wouldn't bother to satisfy your curiosity and would shove you out of my office. But I know that when the welfare of your fellow Wreckers is at stake, you are relentless. Therefore, keep this in mind: the human reproduction ways have nothing in common with anything that our race has experienced before. In my medical opinion, one simple word describes human reproduction succinctly: alien.

"What Miko is going through may be alien on the optics of a Cybertronian but is natural for a human femme. The only downside here is that she has no elder around to guider her through." He said the last part regretfully. "I have nothing more to tell you."

"And you have told me nothing different than two-wheels did." The Wrecker crossed his arms. "That's no answer for me, Doc. I want solid proof Miko is gonna be fine. And just like you said," he smirked. "I'm relentless."

Another heavy sigh escaped the doctor. "I believe before the human information high-way crashed years ago, Rafael salvaged as much data as he could about multiple subjects. Perhaps he has something that could help you learn by yourself."

"You're the Doc and Arcee said you knew." The Wrecker scowled. "Why does this thing gives you the lugnuts that you two don't want to tell me?"

"Wheeljack, if you learn the truth by yourself, you'll understand. Now, please leave."

He did as the medic said, knowing he would not get anymore answers out of him. Some help he was; Arcee sends him to the Doc, and now the Doc sends him to Raf. Maybe the kid will be more helpful…

"Hold on!" Wheeljack halted while crossing the door, a horrible suspicion taking over. "How many people knew about Miko before me?"

"Besides Jack and Miko herself, Optimus was the first to know. I am the Chief Medical Officer, so I was the second, two weeks after. And Rafael learnt the last month."

* * *

**Palace of Nations.**

Before Wheeljack could find the kid's lab in the HQ, he had gotten a call from Springer telling all the Wreckers were to be at the meeting room, for a mission assignment from Prime.

Grumpy, he went. To his surprise, Arcee was there as well. She would be joining them in this mission. The femme was close by her old friend Moonracer.

Optimus was showing a 3D map of an area covered in forest. Or rather, a cyberformed forest. The trees, the bushes, the animals, the rocks, all converted into lifeless metal. Wheeljack ignored that and heeded the Prime:

"This is what used to be The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, in Virginia state. Not too far from it, in the last solar cycles, an unknown Decepticon attacked Roanoke at night. Those who were unable to evacuate in time perished."

Wheeljack clenched his servos in anger at the despised Decepticons. He was already in a foul mood.

"Was it the Predacon?" Springer asked the obvious question. Megatron's pet had gained an infamous reputation amongst the Autobots. Big, ugly and merciless, it was often described as the Decepticon version of Grimlock. But only when said Dinobot was nowhere in earshot.

Optimus shook his head. "No, from the reports this super-soldier used stealth and scare-tactics. It attacked at night and took out the guards one by one, eviscerating them in silence. The Predacon's pattern consists of flying in and attacking brutally, no stealth involved.

"One other thing, our surveillance drones got a silhouette of the super-soldier."

Said silhouette was a shadowy figure with many thin feet, carrying a corpulent body with powerful arms.

"Could it be another Predacon, cloned from the bone Sideswipe and Sunstreaker saw being dug up?" Arcee suggested.

"Unlikely, no kind of Predacon resembled this in the historical archives that I am familiar with. And I know Megatron never puts all of his fortunes in the same wager, like the humans say, never put all your eggs on the same basket."

"So what is our mission, boss?" Springer put forward the obvious question.

"The forest is where the super-soldier was last seen by one of our spy probes, just less than tenheptocyclesago."

"That little more than two hours." Arcee muttered.

"Your mission is to intercept the super-soldier. Capture if possible, terminate if inevitable." Optimus ordered. "Your battle expertize and organized team-work has given you advantage before single, mighty enemies before. And you will take Arcee. Her experience in martial arts and close-quarters combat will prove much needed in the environment you will face."

"Understood, sir." Springer nodded.

"And if the Predacon joins the party?" Moonracer asked

"We make it a bigger party." Hot Shot knocked his fists.

"The Predacon will not appear. I have put in motion a plan to goad the beast to another target."

The Wreckers and Arcee transformed and rolled out of the palace and into the groundbridge nexus dome. During the journey, Wheeljack made sure to stay close to Arcee, which didn't escape her notice.

* * *

**Hot Springs, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Virginia**.

The Wreckers and Arcee arrived on a small ranger district. A simple small location surrounded by mounts filled with trees. Over six year ago, the scenery was mostly green, which as Arcee knew on Earth, it would mean an abundance of life. Now the trees were petrified in metal, giving the scene a morbid beauty.

On Cybertron there was never anything akin to trees or vegetation. Though the cyberformed trees possessed an air of alien art with the way branches stretched into every angle, her Spark felt heavy to know they were no longer alive.

Springer began. "Alright, we split into groups and scour for the 'Con. The little rat likes to stay in the shadows and attack when we're not looking. Don't forget to make some noise to draw it out. But always keep an optic looking in every way. Jackie…"

"I'm going with two-wheels." Wheeljack promptly decided.

"Fine, you two lone-wolves go. But try and teach Arcee how to roll like a Wrecker."

"You mean like when I rolled all over you in that sparring match?" she gave a smug smirk to the Wrecker leader and Hot Shot smothered a chuckle.

The groups went in different directions, Arcee and Wheeljack followed a road to west.

"You didn't pick me for the company, did you?" she pointed out.

"I still don't trust what's happening to Miko. She was never one to stay cobbled up in her hole for anything." He adamantly muttered.

"Honestly, you're overreacting!" she snapped, fed up with the subject. "Don't you trust mine or Ratchet's judgement? This is all a natural human thing. Since when has that gave you the lugnuts? Just because Miko is changing?" at his silence, Arcee knew she was onto something.

* * *

**Lebanon, Kentucky. Buffer state.**

In the no-bot's land that made the buffer zone, a group of four not well-known Autobots emerged from a groundbridge carrying large containers in trailers. Seeing their alt-modes, these Autobots could be compared to the Constructicons. But unlike the Constructicons, the Build Team was below the average warrior-level of the Autobots, reason why they were not renowned in combat.

The orange-yellow one, Wedge, was the smallest and leader of the Build Team. Then was a tall, green backhoe, Longarm (1), who was the second in command. Heavy Load, the yellow, armored and bulky dump truck and toughest teammate. Finally the red crane truck Hightower the best marksman who's weapon of choice was a flamethrower.

"Alright Team, we got a job to do. Prime wants us to make an underground base for spying on the 'Cons, undetected. So we maintain radio silence and hurry up to get ourselves beneath the soil to do the work.

This place we're in is small and isolated enough to be ignored. Still we gotta work fast before Soundwave picks up our trail."

The vehicular builders began their mission diligently, leaving the containers of parts close by.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

The Chief of Communications walked up to his master and bowed.

"What is it, Soundwave?" the faceless one showed a recording from high in the air of four different Autobot constructors digging. On the side he showed the coordinates.

"Autobots in the Badlands?" Megatron used the name the Decepticons gave to the buffer zone. "That is a bold move, Optimus. Are you certain there are no Autobot warriors escorting them?"

At Soundwave's nod, Megatron hummed in thought. "By sending as few numbers as possible, Optimus probably hoped we would not detect their presence.

"Sending the Predacon would be overkill. Nonetheless…" he left that statement pending, but sent the beast to hunt down the offending Autobots. He turned to Cyclonus. "Commander, have an armada ready to deploy for battle and stand by, just in case."

As time passed, Megatron received another call, one from a Decepticon who wasn't so eager to call him:

"BlackArachnia, status report!" even though _she_ had called him, he still made the demand. He enjoyed reminding his newest asset just whom was in charge.

"_The Wreckers are here_." She spoke with a voice full of poison, then it gained a hint of twisted sweetness. "_And they brought my beloved friend, Arcee_." Suddenly her voice shifted into raspy and deep with a mad and demonic tone. "_**I will tear them to pieces like they did to me!**__"_

"Stand down, BlackArachnia! I decide who and when you tear anything to pieces." Megatron used the control installed in his processor to give a medium shock to remind her of the consequences of disobedience.

Because she is made of two different components powerlinxed together, BlackArachnia's personality suffers these shifts. Mostly the main component remains in control, since her mind is still coherent. The other component is nothing more than a mad, ravenous creature with no higher thought than to destroy everything in its path, courtesy of Knockout's torture and regular Synthetic Energon infusions. It is because of this second component BlackArachnia has these outbursts of violence.

"Have the Autobots discovered your position?"

"_Unlikely. They know I am here, but not that I am stalking them_."

"Bring me the heads of the Wreckers so I may hang them from my throne room."

"_And Arcee?"_

"Do to her whatever you wish you could do to me." He said nonchalant.

* * *

**Lebanon, Kentucky. Buffer state**.

The Build Team was just digging up a tunnel going down below inside large church, the widest building around, truth be told. The operation was to be concealed as best as possible.

A shrieking roar halted their work; the energon on their veins ran cold. The flapping of wings followed and they made no sound or move. This was just like the surviving 'Bots spoke of, before the beast strikes.

Wedge clenched his denta, nearly able to hear his Spark beating. Normally he would like to go into battle, even though he's not the biggest, toughest or most seasoned warrior in the Autobot ranks, or even his own team. But the brutality the other 'Bots were victims of, the sights of their injuries and how many perished in the outposts attacked by the Predacon put the young builder's caution in command.

The wing flapping grew dimmer, sounding more and more like a distant echo. Finally it ceased into silence and Team Build felt like sighing of relief even though they needed no air.

"We're in the clear." Wedge whispered.

Then the ceiling broke down and the Predacon shoved his menacing head into the structure. His lower jaw split in half. A ball of fire formed in his throat.

"Everybody out!" Wedge shouted.

The Team came bursting of the building right before it was filled with a firestorm from the belly of the beast. The building crumbled until burning, half-molten wreckage with the Predacon on top of it. The beast came slowly down from the fiery mountain, ready to shred metal.

"Do it now!" Wedge cried out but Build Team did nothing. That signal was for someone else.

The containers they had brought were burst open from the inside and the Dinobots Grimlock, Slug and Swoop came out and tackled the Predacon. The jumped onto the beasts back while Slug charged on the side, tipping it over. Swoop flew in circles firing his lasers at the Predacon's head.

"Not so tough now, are ya retrorat?" that offensive remark boosted the Predacon's anger, whose jaws gripped Grimlock's tail and pulled him off his back and into Slug. The dragon leaped into the air and grabbed Swoop with mouth, like a cat would grab a passing moth.

"Wow! Hey, I'm not your chew toy."

The Predacon shook his victim like a rag doll and would have tear Swoop's wings off hadn't Grimlock came back on attack.

"You alright, Swoop?" Wedge and his team came to attend to the downed pterossaurus.

"Just great, kid. The big bozo's barks are worse and its bites." The Dinobot flapped his wings, the left one a bit scorched and dented.

A groundbridge vortex appeared in the sky and five Decepticon Seekers joined the battle. They were Cyclonus followed by _the Scream-twins_ Thundercracker and Skywarp. The other two were a femme named Slipstream and the brutal air warrior Ramjet.

"Not so great now." Swoop muttered.

* * *

**Two hours later.**

**George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Virginia**.

Arcee and Wheeljack's lone patrol had taken them to the dense forest in between the mountains. It took more than persuasion to have Wheeljack spill what was crawling up his tailpipe. Arcee had to vow on the AllSpark that she would never speak of this conversation to anyone. Wheeljack considered himself too mechly to let any other 'Bot know he would talk about his feelings.

"It's just that when Bulkhead left the Wreckers, and then Magnus took over after Impactor died, I could see the old gang was falling apart.

"When that rust pile Screamer killed Bulk and Miko joined the Wreckers full-time, it was like she filled the old void. Now she's drifting away. Call me doom prophet or whatever, but this too much déjà vu for me."

"You're afraid that loosing Miko will cause the Wreckers to fall apart, like when Bulkhead transferred to Optimus' command." Arcee deduced, having heard that story before from the old big, green lug. "Look, I can't promise you that Miko will be the same after this ordeal is over. June told me that motherhood changes a woman. But even if Miko leaves the Wreckers, you'll always have her and them with you. In here." She pressed a tiny servo to her own Spark chamber.

Wheeljack sighed. "Guess I was really a scaredy minicon, getting all worked up for nothing."

"And if you're smart, you'll trust me on this and ask nothing more about human reproduction."

"Noted."

They shared a small laugh and ventured deeper into the forest. Arcee's senses began to get an old tingling she didn't immediately recall. The tall trees tinged, like spindly feet crawled on them.

Arcee's senses recognized the feeling of walking right into a trap. Only too little too late. A net of green, slimy substance sprang from beneath Wheeljack's feet and captured the Wrecker. He tried to cut it with his blades but the net had him tightly immobilized.

"Wheeljack!"

Arcee was next; a net was fired from the tree tops and trapped her against a trunk. The two-wheeler couldn't believe she had fallen for this trick. From an enemy she hadn't faced in six years and _almost_ believed to be deceased.

"Show yourself, Airachnid!"

"Arcee!" the voice of her hated sworn enemy spoke with the same sadistic sweetness so natural to her. It seemed to come everywhere and Arcee knew the spider was circling her captured prey. "I'm so glad that you remember me." Without warning, Airachnid's voice changed into a harsh, bitter, mad-driven roar. "**I'll be even gladder when I rip out your guts and shove them down Megatron's throat! Just like you did with mine!**"

There was a small gasp and Airachnid's voice returned to normal. "Apologies for that outburst. My…partner got caught up in the moment."

"Are you going to show yourself or not?" Wheeljack spat from his spot.

"Since you asked so nicely." The sound of spider feet tinging the metal trunks echoed again. A dark and bulky shape leaped out of the tree tops and the two Autobots gasped in terror.

Airachnid – or what used to be her – had been apparently torn apart and put back together with some other Cybertronian's mass. The eight purple spider legs supported a voluminous blue body with two arms. The blue bulk was covered in melded scratches and repaired wounds. Airachnid's thin upper body was attached to the top of the blue volume.

"By the AllSpark, you're the super-soldier?! What has happened to you?"

"Not my choice!" the spider snarled. "Shockwave powerlinxed I and what remained of that maggot Cylas into this unpalatable freak of nature! **That fucking cyclops shit! **Apologies again. Cylas' mind was much of a wreck when we were fused, anyways. He hasn't been much coherent."

"So you now got eight legs, plus two extra arms? Nice jackpot, glitch!" Wheeljack sneered. Airachnid ignored him and smiled at her other captive.

"I see you have gotten yourself a new partner. What became of Jack? I hope you have not gotten him killed like you did your previous ones?" she tried to provoke the blue femme.

Arcee smirked, though. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

A groundbridge vortex opened and the 'Con Grinder came rolling out and rammed into the super-soldier. The main guns fired a net of energy that shocked Airachnid and held her down, semi-stunned.

"Arcee!" Jack was piloting while Miko, who had a belly beginning to swollen, controlled the guns. She fired laser cutters that freed their partners.

"Timely entrance, partner."

"How did you guys knew we were in need of a servo?" Wheeljack asked.

"I gave them a secret call when I figured Airachnid was stalking us." Arcee answered. "Figured since Wreckers don't call for backup, I do."

"Miko, thought you need your time to…change?"

"Change?" the woman sounded insulted. "Listen, Jackie, I may be getting rounder and moodier with every week, but I'm still a Wrecker. For life, partner." She gave him a fist.

Wheeljack formed a small smile. "That's right, partner. Wreckers for life." He gently bumped her fist with his own.

"But don't get yourself in a pit so often, Jackie. In a few months, I'll be too round and moody to help."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Jack!" Airachnid cried out in dangerous joy, breaking the friendly conversation. "Look how much you've grown! I think I will need a bigger jar for your head, now."

"Airachnid, you look just as ugly as I remember. Only uglier."

She shook a finger. "Tsk, tsk! Not Airachnid. Call me BlackArachnia." The super-soldier grabbed the energy net with the hands that were once Breakdown's and tore free from it. "Now let's get reacquainted."

"Reacquaint with this!" Miko snarled and pushed a button. A compartment on the 'Con Grinder opened and six metaroaches came flying out, attacking the surprised super-soldier. Airachnid – or rather, BlackArachnia – tried to pry off the metal eaters. The acid they fired on her chassis forced her to retreat underground, but not before hissing a departure threat.

"I'll be back!"

"And we'll be waiting." Arcee spat back. "Unlike you, we have partners we can count on."

"Ditto that." Wheeljack supported.

* * *

**Geneva.**

The Wreckers, plus Arcee and Jack returned all together via groundbridge. Outside, Autobots were rolling and working in a more perked up tone than in the last few days. When asked around, a young soldier called Sideburn pointed to a big, public screen showing a battle between the Predacon and the three Dinobots.

"Grimlock and his team just sent that big rust for brains flying back to Megatron with its tail between its legs! They've showed that thing can be beaten!"

Wheeljack looked up to the screen to see Grimlock in robot mode slashing a cut in the Predacon's belly, a smirk twisted his features.

"That will sure rise up morale around here." He looked down to Miko and whispered. "Y'know, even if the kid that's coming is made from Jack's raw materials, you're still boss of the construction project. So make sure you build a great new Wrecker out of it."

As he walked away, Miko pulled Jack with a deadpan face. "Raw materials and construction project? What kind of _birds and bees_ talk have you gave him?"

* * *

**( 1 ) – **Longarm is the name I gave to the big, green Grimlock of the 2001 Robots in Disguise. Since we already have a dinosaur-Grimlock, we couldn't have a backhoe-Grimlock.

I hope you liked BlackArachnia. She didn't get much of a role on his chapter yet, but it might grow in the future.

Next chapter will have a time leap and starts a new arc for the story, the Forest Arc.


	13. Chapter 13

**Kaleia**: As you can from this chapter, the child is a boy. As for the name, keep reading. Arcee and Wheeljack are like a second couple of guardians to the kid, though he has his own Autobot partner and an occasional minicon. Keep reading.

**Gabby M**: Okay, Shadescribe. Got it.

**HubrisP**: Next chapter you'll get your favorite 'Con, my friend.

This marks the beginning of a mini-arc called the Forest Arc, where Riku and two of his friends will go to an alien forest. For the duration of the Forest Arc, there will be very little conflict with the Decepticons. But no worries, it will only last for two or three chapters, including this one.

This has another time skip (over thirteen years) so here are the ages: Jack – 35 / Miko – 34 / Rafael - 30

* * *

**14****th**** July 2033. 20 years and 254 days AE.**

**Empire State Building, New York HQ. Autobot city.**

Optimus Prime studied the map of what was once the United States of America, now split into three territories.

Megatron controlled the western and biggest chunk. From the two Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and half of Oklahoma and Texas to west is colored purple with the nefarious Decepticon insignia.

Though the Autobot core territory remained on the untouched Europe, they had liberated Ohio, Kentucky and Mississippi to the east coast.

The states in between the two unequal halves are the shrinking no-bot's land and sky-patrolled by Predacons at all times.

"_We just got a report, Optimus._" Prowl's stern face appeared in one of the screens. "_Rodimus' forces were able to repel the Predacon incursion on the frontier with minimal casualties. Gaia Guardian saved the day_."

"That is good news, old friend."

Years passed while Shockwave cloned more Predacons, though the Autobots had captured and destroyed bones in an effort to cripple the project. It was half successful, as the Decepticons still only possessed a squadron of beast and not an army that Megatron craved. This squadron of Predacons flies in the buffer zone and attacks any Autobots trespassers.

Still they were not nearly enough to eradicate the Autobot army.

To counteract the Beast Wars Megatron was waging, Optimus had Perceptor begin combiner projects. To make a combiner it takes a great deal of experimentation on a group of Cybertronians and training, both physical and mental.

The only veteran combiners were Superion and Computron. The legendary Defensor was long gone, as Blades of Fireblade's Air Squadron was the last survivor of the Protectobots. Now the Autobots had invested again on combiner units and came with a mixed result of successes. Gaia Guardian was the greatest, though. An improved form of the fallen Defensor with six new Autobot components.

"_With this victory the enemy won't dare to attack our advance so soon_."

"Though Megatron will grow more aggressive, no doubt. Over the last few years, both we and the Decepticons have been taking in more of the buffer zone. Soon our sides will collapse again, at which point a total all-out conflict will be inevitable."

"_What do you think of our chances?_"

"In terms of resources, we are evenly balanced. Maybe we could take over a great portion of the Decepticon Imperium." That was how Megatron had named their territory. "But any force attempting to attack Ristvak'baen or the core territory of Nevada will be up to its neck cables in its own life's blood.

"If we must pay that terrible price to destroy Megatron's seat of power, we will. But that day will be one none of our kind will wish to remember, be they Autobot or Decepticon."

"_I hear you, sir._" Prowl hesitated for a moment. "_Permission to speak freely, sir?"_

"Granted."

"_With all due respect for your previous decisions, but I believe having some controllable scraplets on our side would tip the scales in our favor."_

Prowl silenced himself before Optimus' stern glare. "Rafael is no longer counted as an ally. He made mistakes which are intolerable for anyone who calls himself friend of the Autobots. I gave him a choice of giving up his obsessive and nefarious pursuit or leaving Geneva. He chose banishment and I gave him just that. End of discussion."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

**Geneva.**

"Where is he?" Arcee demanded to know.

"No idea, Arcee." Bumblebee shrugged sympathetically. "But I can't help you now. Tomorrow is Raf's birthday and I'd like to go visit him. I need to get something for him."

Arcee gave him a look of frustration and pity. She could pity Bee that his partner was now a recluse and an outcast, even if she could never forgive Rafael Esquivel. The frustration was that the ex-scout was no help in finding her target.

"Excuse me, Officer Arcee." Spoke a minicon approaching her. The minicon's chassis was solely bright orange, save for the white faceplate. It had wheels for pedes and legs. On its left shoulder, it carried a microscope/scanner tube similar to Perceptor's. "But I believe I can assist you in locating the individual."

"Who are you?"

"Scope, officer." The minicon responded. "Recently upgraded from caretaker class to scientific-assistant class. My previous designation was: Fixit."

"Fine, whatever." Arcee mentally cursed how machine-like these minicons are. "Can you help me track him?"

"As chief-scientist Perceptor had every human DNA signature registered in my databanks and with my new organic long-range scanner, I can…"

"Just do it, already!" she snapped.

"On it!" he hastily declared and the scanner tube turned vertical, humming as it scanned the miles around. On a cyberformed Earth, locating organic DNA was easy and fast. "He is near the southern gate of the city and on a course for departure, apparently."

"I knew it!" she growled, furious. She prepared to transform but paused and picked up Scope. "You're coming with me."

"But wait, I don't have the programming to ride a…AAAAAHH!" Scope cried out as Arcee sped up. He had no feet to grab the pedals and his servos could barely maintain a grip on the handlebars.

He lasted just long enough for Arcee to reach the southern gate and halt. Scope fell on his back when she transformed and planted a foot on the front of a sports car with screaming double '38' on the front doors.

"Smokescreen, let him out." She ordered.

"Arcee! What gives? It's my day-off, I need a day outside to stretch my pedes." The car sounded surprised and nervous to see her.

"You can stretch your exhaust tube for all I care. But first, let him out!" she snarled.

"Let _whom_ out, I'm not carrying anyone." The car made a wheel-shrug.

"Really, then why won't you transform?" she arched a knowing eyebrow. After a moment of hesitation, Smokescreen complied. He looked at her with an innocent grin until a knocking sound came from his chest.

"What is that sound?" she already knew the answer.

"Well…"

"For the last time, let. Him. Out!" Smokescreen relented and opened his chest compartment.

"Ah! I missed fresh air." a thirteen-year-old boy of dark, short hair and green, round eyes sighed in relief. The boy looked at the scowling femme and gave the same innocent grin as the 'Bot carrying him. "Hello, Arcee."

"Don't you 'Hello, Arcee' me, Riku Bulk Nakadai Darby! You were trying to sneak out again." The femme turned her scathing glare to Elite Guard 'Bot. "You're supposed to be his guardian!"

"He convinced me. Besides what's wrong with a little out?"

"Because last time you two tried to go for a fieldtrip, you wound up in the center of France without telling. Jack and Miko went berserk."

"And I thought it was only you." Smokescreen muttered.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!" he cowered at the angry femme.

"Arcee, please, just a stroll outside the city." The human pleaded. "We won't go too far off, this time. Promise."

"Arcee, I know Jack and Miko put you in charge of Riku while they're gone and you want to protect him, but keeping him cooped up in the city won't toughen him up." Smokescreen supported.

"Yeah, that's what Wheeljack says." Riku added.

Arcee frowned but knew he was right. Jack and Miko had been very protective especially since the incident that Rafael caused, years ago. An incident that nearly got little Riku killed and resulted in the man's banishment.

Quite honestly, she could understand the fear they had for their son. She recognized it from her experiences with June. In the years to come, Arce had become a second mother figure to Riku.

"Alright fine." She relented. "But you'll take responsible supervision with you. Scope will go."

"Me?" the minicon, who had kept silent, was aghast.

"Fine by me." Riku shrugged. "Come on, Fixit."

"Actually, my designation is 'Scope' now that I've been upgraded."

"Whatever you say, Fixit." Smokescreen transformed and opened both doors for the human and the minicon to enter. No sooner than the gates were fully opened, Smokescreen took off like a rocket. Arcee shot the back of the young Autobot a glare. Heads will roll if Riku comes back damaged. But fortunately he wouldn't get himself into anything too dangerous.

* * *

"Uh, Riku, this seems a bit too dangerous." Scope advised.

Smokescreen hanged over the edge of a steep mountain south of the city where the Alps began. The Autobot and his human partner had to make a drive for a mountain beyond those in line sight from Geneva, lest Arcee was watching them.

"Too dangerous, my aft." Riku shrugged. "It's just dangerous enough. What's life without some danger?"

"Besides, we've done this before." Smokescreen added. "And Miko rode down slides like these with her old pal Bulkhead."

Before Scope could offer any more doubts, Smokescreen raced down the mountain, with a human howling in joy and a minicon screaming in panic. The Elite Guard bot had a few years ago upgraded his alt mode to a form more suited for all-terrain drives.

Other changes he performed on his alt-mode was making it convertible. When they were half-way down, Smokescreen opened his roof. With such speed, the warm air felt cool on Riku's face, pushing his air back. The boy got up, arms opened and shouted:

"YEAH!"

When they reached the end, Riku was euphoric and asked for more.

"You're just like your mom. When Miko was a kid, she never got her thrill quota filled, not matter how many 'Cons she came face to face. A few times I wondered if she was suicidal."

"Don't joke, Smoke. If mom wasn't such as stiff, she would let me get out more often. She's always stuck on me like ugly on a Decepticon."

"How can you say that when, in my database, you have never encountered a Decepticon?" Scope asked.

"Okay, I never been out there and seen a 'Con face to face, but I've seen pictures and they're not easy on the eyes." Riku muttered. For most of his life he had lived a sheltered life, his parents adamantly denied him to leave Europe, or even the area around the Autobot capital.

After a few more adrenaline rides, Riku distractedly looked at the southern mountains and remembered something

"Isn't by those mountains that Uncle Raf lives now?"

"Yes, Optimus Prime banished him from the city but not from Autobot territory." Scope informed, creating a frown on Riku's face. The boy had been sheltered most of his life but he vaguely remembered a distant time when he had much more freedom. It was in that time Uncle Raf was part of the family.

"I just remembered tomorrow is uncle's birthday. Bumblebee is gonna visit him. We should go, too."

Smokescreen slowed down and said in a grim tone. "Don't think that would sit well with your parents. And Arcee will definitely have my head if I let you. Raf hasn't been very high on the popularity scale."

"That's another thing I don't get." Riku scowled. "I remember uncle Raf was always around when I was little. Then suddenly, he's gone and nobody else wants to talk about him. Like he never existed."

Smokescreen opened his doors for them to get out and transformed. Riku guessed he thought this conversation would have more meaning if he done it with his face.

"Look, Riku it's not my place to tell. But when you were little, you almost got slagged. Raf was doing more and more experiences with his scraplets to counter the increasing number of Predacons. An experience went wrong and almost killed you."

Riku looked down in deep thought. That did match what little he could recollect from his infancy. He foggily remembered a big explosion, screams and fear. But little more than traces of violent emotions and feelings.

Nonetheless…

"But Optimus says everyone can change, for good or bad. Even if Uncle Raf changed for bad, maybe he has changed back into good."

Smokescreen sighed. "That's not even half of the story. I was made to promise never to tell you unless your parents say so. They're returning to Geneva tonight, so you'll have to ask them."

"Right," Riku rolled his eyes sarcastically. "as if they won't freak out every time I mention Uncle Raf."

* * *

**That night.**

**Human house,** **Pregny-Chambésy****.**

"Grilled corn and chicken." Miko announced, the sweet smell of dinner filled the nostrils of the three family members.

"We're having something actually worth of sinking our teeth in?" Riku looked avidly to the tempting bird. They rarely ate meat or poultry to spare the few farm animals. Instead, had their protein intake from mushrooms.

"Yeah, since your mom and I are done for the next five months, we will be spending all that time in Geneva with you." Jack said as he and Miko sat at the table and began to apportion the meal. "Tomorrow I can help you with the cyberboard. In no time you'll be flying above the streets, sport."

"That means more family time for us." The mother's smile was wiped when Riku asked:

"Does that include Uncle Raf?"

The parents stiffened, Jack's fork stopped midway to his mouth with a piece of meat. He looked a bit bewildered but Miko looked livid. She instantly changed into a more relaxed position, though the joy of before did not return. If anything the mother sounded more probing than inquiring:

"So, how was your day?"

"Radical! Smoke and I took a few drives around the mountains." Riku knew he was closing in for the kill. But first he needed to make mom break. To push on, despite the situation getting tight. That's how Wreckers do it, is what mom and Wheeljack taught him. "You know, the southern mountains close by where Uncle Raf lives."

The glass of water in Miko's hand shattered when she put too much pressure on it. The dining room went dead silent.

One look to mom's face made Riku flashback to a time when dad and Arcee gave him a different advice: 'be careful not to push too far.'

"Riku, let's just enjoy the dinner." Jack may have said that as a suggestion, but it was an order.

The parents were now pushing back.

"_Scrap not pushing too far!"_ the son made up his mind. He would keep on pushing and scrap the consequences. He put down his fork and looked up defiantly. "Why do you refuse to acknowledge Uncle Raf like he doesn't exist? Because he 'hurt' me, so you copped me up on Geneva like that's gonna give any protecting if one day the 'Cons come in raining here?"

"Riku Bulk Nakadai Darby!" Miko snarled, putting an end to the son's tirade. Using his full name always meant trouble.

'Riku' meant 'land' in Japanese and his mother had named him so because she had insisted he was given birth in the earth-puddle rather than on the cyberformed city. 'Bulk' was a name invented and given in memory of his mother's Autobot partner.

"You are not to mention that man's name again, are we clear?"

"Why? Because Uncle Raf is another one of those _outside dangers_ you don't want to bite me?"

"To your room! No supper!" she snarled with a scolding face that the son matched before he turned away and walked to his room.

"Scrap it!" she sighed, sitting down like she carried a backpack full of rocks.

She looked at Jack, who during the short argument remained coolly impassive. The man was now giving her an admonishing look he learnt from Optimus.

"Where are you looking at? You know everything I say and do for him is for a good reason." She countered the non-verbal scolding.

* * *

Riku's room was more or less modest. The decoration went from a few pictures of the little outside world he had seen, including that unplanned trip to France.

There were also a small collection of albums, that his parents and uncle had salvaged from the ruined human civilization in past years. A handful of them were the Slash Monkey band, a favorite of his mom's.

Sitting in the corner of a room, was the cyberboard, the cybertronian rocket-skateboard he and his dad were working on.

Riku threw himself at the bed and lied there. One may assume he was pouting, but in reality the boy was far beyond that phase. He was already machination a small rebellion for him tomorrow; go secretly join Bumblebee on the birthday visit. Maybe he could include Smoke too.

A knock on the door stopped his train of thought. A pouting child may not have answered, but as previously stated Riku Darby does not pout.

"Come on in."

Dad entered the room with a patient smile. "Hey, sport. I brought your dinner. Eat up before it gets cold."

"Thanks, dad." Riku admitted his father deserved at the very least that. Sitting up, he took the plate on his lap and began to eat the delicious meal. Truth be told, his mom was an excellent cook.

When he was done, the talk his dad obviously had to give him began. "Riku, I know you may not like this, but everything your mother has done since you were born was for your own good."

"Including locking me up?" he gave the man a sarcastic look.

"Yeah, though in my opinion I would have never let it go this far." Jack paused. "You asked why we keep you here. I talked with your mom and she agreed it's time you learn.

"When you were six, Rafael was in charge of the scraplet hive. He had always been a computer whiz and found a way to control those metal-eaters. Over the years he kept improving his control methods and his pets to help in the war. In all fairness, his scraplets were part of the reason we took over New York and gave a great kick in Buckethead's aft." Jack chuckled but felt he was digressing, so quickly resumed.

"Anyways, Raf got better at manipulating his pets. But he also grew more eccentric and obsessed with them. The more he perfected them, the more he wanted to improve them. Soon enough he began to lose contact with everyone else, including Bumblebee and us.

"We tried to convince him to get out of his lab, but he insisted his research was above everything else. He even turned down a direct order from Optimus, which in itself takes a lot of nerve to.

"You got that right." Riku nodded. The Prime's imposing figure made it impossible to disobey him, unless you were a Decepticon.

"When you were six, your mother and I believed spending some time with your uncle would help him loosen up from his workaholic ways. I remember you were eager to see 'Uncle Raf' again. He agreed, saying that it would be nice to enroll you in his business.

"You don't remember any of this, but Rafael was working on a new warrior-breed of scraplet based on the Insecticons. When he activated it, that thing went berserk and began eating everything, from metal to flesh. It tried to go for you but an Autobot who heard the commotion burst into the lab and shot that freak of nature dead."

"For _that_ Uncle Raf was made public enemy number 1?" Riku interjected. He already knew that from Smokescreen's abridged version. But he wasn't about to squeal on his partner. "So he made a mistake but Optimus says everyone can change for better."

"If that had been all, we wouldn't have held this grudge for so long. I would have forgiven Raf _weeks_ after the incident." Jack sighed. "When we reached the wrecked laboratory, you were outcold and a bit roughed up.

"And Rafael was…just fussing around his precious scrapped creation, not giving a wit about your health!" the father kept his anger in check, but his fists clenched. "He said his precious was ruined. He raved that he couldn't care less about you, now that his masterpiece was destroyed. I had to tackle your mother before she could tear him a new one. Sometimes I think I should have let her.

"Optimus, after being briefed on the accident and hearing everyone's side, put Rafael on trial and gave him an ultimatum: abolish his work with scraplets or leave Geneva and become an outcast of the Autobots. Rafael made his decision."

Riku looked through the window to the moon with an absent gaze. For a long time he had wondered why Uncle Raf had been made into a pariah. Now he knew.

Was he mad at his uncaring surrogate uncle? He felt he should be, but he couldn't even remember the accident. And in the end, nobody got hurt. Should he blame Uncle Raf? Or should he forgive him?

Following Optimus' philosophies, maybe he ought to forgive his uncle.

"You spent the next week in a comma." Dad continued, interrupting Riku's train of thought. "Ratchet didn't give us any good news. I was terrified for you. But your mother was heartbroken. She never left your side and barely ate while you lied in bed. She talked to you, read you stories, showed you that Bulgarian shriek music you both love so much."

With every word, Riku felt a weight growing in his stomach for having shouted at mom. Dad became silent, like he (probably) knew his son wanted quiet.

"Tomorrow you will visit your uncle on his birthday." Jack said after granting a full minute of silence. Riku looked at him stunned and Jack returned a knowing smirk. "I know you'd try to go under the radar, all the same. You have too much of your mother for me to know. That's why I'm convincing her to let you go. Maybe it's time to close old wounds and get the family all together again."

"Alright!" Riku perked up. "You guys are coming too?"

"No, sport." Jack shook his head. "I do miss Raf, and I know your mother does too. But we're still not ready to see him again. Maybe you're the one who can start mending the bridge a little." He ruffled his son's hair a little.

"Okay, thanks for the vote of confidence."

"But you'll go with Smokescreen. And Scope will go too; Arcee tells me she put him watching you both today."

"Fine by me." Riku shrugged. "I was gonna invite Smoke anyway. And since Bee will go, too, it's almost overkill."

* * *

**15****th**** July 2033. 20 years and 255 days AE.**

**Geneva southern gate.**

"Remember, if anything chases you, RUN." Miko said the last word ominously, like the whispering instinct of a prey being stalked by a predator. Of course, she said also said it in a playful tone. Riku was glad for that; it was as if last night's family drama had never happened.

"_Must have been some talk Dad pulled off._" Riku thought.

Outside the southern gates were, besides two Autotrooper sentries atop the wall, Smokescreen, Bumblebee and Scope with the Darbys.

"And tell your uncle we said 'hi'." Dad said.

Smokescreen and Bumblebee transformed, the former taking in Riku and Scope, and off they went towards the Alps.

"So what is your present for the birthday man, Bee?" Riku asked, putting his head out of the window.

"Something Raf and I used to play with. Took a long time to repair, I had to ask help from a minicon. What about yours?"

"Something from Optimus, kinda. He said Uncle Raf is free to return if he abandons his research and rejoins the family. By this time, sure he must have realized he misses us."

Bumblebee, being in vehicular mode, didn't have a face to display emotions, but the shift in his tone of voice gave the idea he would be grimacing. "Riku, I have been visiting Raf for many times these past few stellar cycles. He has grown to like the isolation and being surrounded by scraplets who obey his every whim, 24/7."

"Bee, don't bring his spirits down so fast." Smokescreen retorted.

"Better to be warned beforehand." Scope said. "There have been rumors that Dr. Rafael Esquivel has grown more paranoid and hostile over the stellar cycles of isolation."

"Guys, let's not paint a bad picture before we even get there, okay?" Riku said.

Unfortunately a bad picture was what they got when they were halfway to the top of the mountain. The group found themselves surrounded by big, six legged metal creatures. It took Riku more than a minute to identify them as beetles. They were bear-sized with rotating mandibles that dripped a green acid.

"Okay, I say we turn back now before we join them for dinner." Smokescreen was eager to leave. The creatures were not moving; apparently it sufficed them to keep them in there. But he didn't want to spend another klik surrounded by these monsters and who could blame him?

"Relax, make no sudden move. These are Beeterrors, the warrior-breed scraplets. Though last time I saw them they weren't this big." Bee noted, suppressing an urge to transform his hands into blasters and start shooting. He was the most senior Autobot in here and as a leader, had to maintain a cool head.

"Ohhh, what do we have here?" a voice growled, freezing the intruders' energon (and blood). Somehow, someway, a beeterror had spoken!

"Is it something to eat, eat, eat?" said another.

"They can talk!" Smokescreen cried out.

"Yeah." Bumblebee looked stunned. "Raf has been a pretty busy boy."

"I thought scraplets were all bug-brained." Riku's comment was followed by a barrage of sawing mandibles spinning faster, eager to tear through metal.

"Hey, what did the meatbag call us?" a beeterror, bulkier than its compatriots, snarled.

"I don't know, let's scrap them!"

"Wait!" Bumblebee shouted. "We're not here to fight, just visiting Rafael."

A shrieking sound invaded their auditory cavities, Autobots, beeterrors and human alike squirmed.

When it ceased, a single new type of scraplet joined them. This one was airborne and shaped like a dragonfly the size of a small cat. The mouth was quite small, unable to cause any real damage to an Autobot. Now the optics were quite large and compounded like those of the real thing.

"That's a Flashfly, they work as scouts, letting Raf see what they see." Bumblebee whispered.

The scout-breed carried a holographic projector on the bottom of its long, thin body, which emitted the image of a brown, human eye with bloodshot veins.

"_Peek-a-boo! I C U!_" said a male adult voice with a hint of mischievousness.

"Raf, hi! We just wanted to drop by." Riku had to admire the weirdness of Bumblebee talking to an eye.

"_Oh, then you'll get dropped by, Ah!"_ Uncle Raf cackled a laugh and the flashfly turned to the beeterrors. "_Now gentlescraps, would you kindly allow our esteemed guests to enter._"

Like trained monkeys to obey on command, the beeterrors expanded their wings and took flight. The flashfly retreated with them to higher ground.

"Okay, that was weird." said Riku because he felt someone had to say it.

They continued their way up and nearly at the top there were tall obelisk structures with holes on them. The towering structures were made of a strange, yellow, solidified wax.

"What is _that_?" Riku looked fascinated. Bumblebee took the role of tour-guide:

"An entrance of the scraplet hive. They make that wax to create their infrastructure. These towers are just a show compared to the room they take up. The hive is huge in numbers and they have chambers and hallways going all the way inside this mountain.

"Rafael altered the drone scraplets to create this goo by eating metal. As they drilled their way through the mountains, they made the goo to adapt and fortify the environment."

"It looks fascinatingly and horribly organized." Scope didn't know if he should feel amazed or terrified that Cybertronians' natural predators could have something so well-planned.

"Primus, and Optimus lets us live so close to these things?" Smokescreen gasped incredulous.

"Don't worry, Rafael programmed his scraplets to only consume Decepticons, otherwise those beeterrors from before would have eaten us already." Bumblebee had to suppress a tremble at the very idea.

The next sight awed them more than terrified. It was a tower made of the same wax. Except that this tower was built like a human historical infrastructure, as if a talented architect had endeavored to make it powerful and beautiful.

"He sure likes to live as a King, with a fortress of his own atop the mountain." Smokescreen commented.

"Let's just go." Bumblebee felt a little teed off with Smokescreen's words.

When they reached the tall doors of the tower, big enough to allow Optimus Prime to pass without bending over, they swung open to the inside. The space was big enough to house several cybertronians.

Inside was an unexpected sight. Rafael Esquivel with a groomed mustache even Peter Cullen would be jealous of. He was sitting on a throne-like chair made of…living scraplets! All clustered to one another, forming a solid object. It was disconcerting to say the least. The armchairs were a pair of metaroaches. The only scraplets that moved were the ones on the bottom which provided the mobility of the living throne.

That aside, he also sported a three-horned metal crown in his head, the very same upgraded helmet he uses to control the scraplets.

"_Getting more and more like a King wannabee_." Smokescreen thought.

"Ladies and gentlebots!" Rafael got up from his throne. "Welcome to my private think-tank."

Confetti and small fireworks blew up in the air, and the automatic applauds of a crowd filled the air. Riku found the whole display an improved version of the birthday surprises his parents used to make for him.

"Your entrances get more and more extravagant every year." Bee remarked.

"Why thank you, Bee. The feeling is mutual. And I see you brought more guests, this time. Good, bull-headed Smokescreen, the little spawn Riku and…" he stopped when turned to Scope. "your minicon handyman?"

"Handyman!" Scope was indignant.

"Anyways, happy birthday!" Bumblebee showed him his present. It was a rusty toy yellow car that Bumblebee had been putting together: Rafael's old toy.

"Ah, yes! I remember that, my old plaything. A fine product it was." Rafael snapped his fingers and five scraplets flew to take the toy car from Bumblebee.

"When I found it, more than half was broken or rusted beyond repair. It took me days to find the right parts and have a minicon fix…" Bumblebee's face dropped in horror when the scraplets drilled the toy car into nothing.

"Oops, so sorry. But you know what they say: 'old things are easy to waste.'" Rafael shrugged it off. "Oh, well. Let's move on, best not to dwell in our grief."

He sat back on the throne and had it turn away to the elevator. "Please, come. I have refreshments upstairs for everyone."

Bumblebee looked with a heavy Spark at the nothing that used to be the toy, yellow car. Smokescreen leaned over and quietly whispered to Riku:

"Something tells me Raf has grown a grudge all these cycles."

* * *

Rafael took then to the second level where there was fine class energon and orange juice waiting for them.

"Uncle Raf, how come you got all of this?" Riku pointed to everything around them, from the food to the tower made of wax.

"My scraplets handle all the menial work. From growing foods, building, cleaning, even cooking. It's by no mere coincidence I have fashioned my helmet to look like a crown." He proudly tapped the crown. "I haven't taken it off since Optimus banished me here. I could even thank him for that. It has given me all the time to thinker."

"Uh…Dr. Esquivel," Scope interjected. "I should remind you Optimus Prime didn't simply banish you. He gave you a chance for pardon but you refused it. In hindsight, you chose to become an outcast."

Rafael gave him a wide smirk with equally wide eyes. It gave him a demented appearance. "Well, aren't you a clever handyman."

Scope now was angry, but Riku stopped him from harming the man who could control thousands of metal-eating pests with but a thought. "Let it go, Fixit."

"It's Scope."

"Anyways, I have been working on a marvelous new invention. One that will end this petty war with the Decepticons."

"But didn't Optimus forbid from using your research in this war effort? He made it especially clear Autobots would never again use your resources." Bumblebee noted.

"Since I'm an outcast, I can choose to end this war by myself and not in the name of Optimus Prime, now can I?" Rafael challenged. "I am still on the Team's side."

From the moment he saw his uncle again, Riku began to lose faith of convincing him to return to the family. The way he practically discarded Bumblebee's present was unsympathetic. But he claimed to still be on their side. That was a start.

Rafael guided them his laboratory, much vaster than the one he used to operate on the Palace of Nations. The equipment looked a bit more rudimentary too. What stood out most was a large groundbridge, with a longer tunnel than the ones on Geneva.

"You built your own groundbridge?" Smokescreen asked.

"This is no ordinary groundbridge. This is what I call a time-tunnel." Rafael announced. "A groundbridge modified to tap into the time stream and travel through it. A time machine!"

"Wow, what?" Riku gasped. "But how?"

"Groundbridges are wormholes in space and time." Scope explained. "The transwarp energy they work with interferes with time and when destabilized, it had been theorized it could be used for time-travel. But the theory was never tested in fear of damaging the time stream."

"Like those spineless wizards of Crystal City ever had the metal balls to take risks." Rafael spat. "With this we can change history and win the war when Buckethead thought _he_ was winning."

Riku was a bit confused of what exactly he was implying but the two Autobot soldiers understood. He was talking about going back in time to the day when Megatron cyberformed Earth and stop him from doing so!

"Raf," Bumblebee spoke with care. "I understand how it feels to want to go back. Ratchet and Optimus know better than anyone else. But tampering with the past is tricky business. The original Primes taught us not to mess whit what has happened. It could set us on an even worse present.

"I'm sorry but returning to when Megatron destroyed Earth is not…" Bumblebee stopped talking when Rafael began laughing.

"Oh, Bee! You think too small. I didn't build the time-tunnel to go back a few years, but to send my entire hive to the distant past, to the dawn of Cybertron. Just about after Unicron was kicked out of the planet and your race began."

That completely caught the four off guard. In unison, they all asked:

"Why?"

"Because in that time, Cybertronians were a fledgling race. Oh, they could fend off ordinary scraplets just fine. But over the years I strove to make my hive unbeatable. The most powerful of creatures. And now my masterpieces will travel to the distant past, to take their rightful place at the top of the Cybertronian food chain and become the dominant species of Cybertron!

Rafael raised his arms high up and leaped off his throne, facing the stunned guests. His wide eyes full of dementia.

"Now you see the beauty of my grand plan? The Cybertronian race will never become dominant, the Decepticons will never exist and the Scraplets will become the Predators, reach the stars and populate a Universe full of prey for them to hunt! My God, it will be _beautiful_!"

Silence reigned. Then the sound of energon blaster powering up. Bumblebee and Smokescreen had their guns pointed at him as a warning.

"I don't know who you are or what you've done to my friend, but the Raf I knew would have never done the things you have. You're not him."

"Uncle." Riku whispered in disbelief with what he had just witnessed. Who was this strange, delusional, unpredictable, _mad_ man?

"You don't see it?" Raf spoke in a sorrowful mood. "Can't you see the beauty? Are you _blind_? Are you _FUCKING blind_?!" the sorrow morphed into rage and in less than the blink of an eye, scraplets rained upon them. The next events happened too fast.

The Autobots shooting down the vermin eating at them.

Rafael activating the time-tunnel.

A stray shot hit the vortex.

Blinding light filled their optics/eyes.

The top of the tower exploded with a burst loud enough to be heard on Geneva.

* * *

**Unknown date.**

**Unknown location.**

The first thing Riku felt was the taste of dirt in his mouth and the intense heat on his back. The taste of dirt was familiar from the times he helped his dad working on the farm. The heat he recognized from the rare visits to the forges and few recycling industries of Geneva. Though this particular heat felt different.

Riku's eyes had trouble adjusting to the brightness when they opened. The day was clear and hot, hotter than any time of day he ever experienced before. Riku got up to see himself surrounded by…dirt?

Dirt as far as the eye could see! But how? The 'puddle' back in Geneva was never this large. And this dirt looked different. Dusty, hot and dry. So different from the dark-brown and damp earth of the farm.

"Where am I?" he whispered to himself.

"Riku!" that was Smokescreen.

"Smoke!" the boy turned around to see his guardian a few decameter away. He raced to him, while the 'Bot merely walked. No point for a metal of giant to run for such a short distance. On Smokescreen's shoulder was Scope whom the Autobot let down when the trio joined.

"Riku! Thank Primus you're in one piece." The guardian sighed while Scope scanned the boy for injuries.

"Guys, I'm fine. So cut it out, Fixit."

"Just a medical scan to be certain. And it's Scope." The minicon completed the scan. "No physical injuries whatsoever, save perhaps a stiff neck."

"You think?" Riku massaged his neck, only now feeling a bit of pain. Strange how he hadn't detected that until the minicon brought it up. "So where are we?"

"Unknown. I can't detect our position by triangulating with Autobot satellite service."

"Nor can I contact base." Smokescreen sighed.

"Great." Riku kicked a rock, uncomfortable with the heat. He gazed again at the endless sea of dirt. "Guys, what is this _place_ anyways?"

Smokescreen gave it a look. "I'll say it's an Earth desert, as I recall. One that survived the cyberforming of Earth."

"Desert? Yeah, I remember now." Riku snapped his fingers. "I saw and read about it in those files Uncle Raf showed me when I was little."

He looked around. "Speaking of Uncle Raf, where is he? And where's Bumblebee?"

"Back at Raf's hive-fortress of doom?" Smoke suggested.

"Or maybe somewhere else." Scope suggested. "That imploding, modified groundbridge may have sent them to any other place on Earth, just as it sent us to this wasteland."

Smokescreen saw his partner wasn't copping with the heat. Riku had grown his all life in the cooler, wetter Geneva. He transformed and opened his doors for the human and minicon.

"Get in, let's get out of this heat. Your mom will kill me if you get sunburn on my watch."

While they drove, Smokescreen activated the air-conditioning. It costed him a bit of fuel but it was worth it to keep his partner in good condition.

"Thanks, Smoke. Say can you turn yourself into lemonade?"

"Don't push it, shrimp." Smokescreen joked.

For an hour they raced through the desert at fast speed and no end to the puddle of earth. The desert seemed to be endless and they could not contact any Autobot. Fortunately no signs of Decepticons either.

"Wow, we got contacts!" Smokescreen halted suddenly, his two passengers were almost catapulted forward. They would have hit the glass if it weren't for seatbelts. "Two vehicles."

"'Bot or 'Con?"

"Can't tell, they could be just Earth vehicles." Smokescreen was in awe. "They're being driven by humans. And they've seen us."

"With the dust trail you made, no wonder." Riku remarked.

"According to protocol, Autobots may not reveal their presence to new humans before all-clear from Optimus is given. First contact is to be handled by our human comrades." Scope recited.

"Then it's up to me, Fixit."

"Scope."

"Whatever. Just stay hidden and, Smoke, don't transform." Riku, who was sitting on the driver's seat, got out of the car but didn't step away. Primus knows if they had to make a speedy retreat.

The other two vehicles, a motorcycle and an all-terrain SUV, were in dull colors and equipped to travel the desert. The drivers were wearing white clothing with hoods and looked young.

"_Wait a klik! I know those kids_!" Smokescreen thought in shock.

The motorcycle rider lifted his hood to show a teenager's face nearing adulthood. The head looked oval with slit blue eyes and raven dark hair just like Riku's. From the SUV, a teenage girl and a little boy; she had big green eyes, a round, flat face and dark hair decorated in two pigtails. The boy was a shorty with orange-brown hair and glasses.

"_Holy Spark!_" Smokescreen whispered.

"Hey, what brings you here?" the tall young man began, eyeing Riku with suspicion and...curiosity, maybe? Strangely enough, this guy looked similar enough to Riku. Except for the eyes, Riku's were big and green just like the girl's.

"Hey there. I'm…a bit lost. Can you guys tell me where I am? Are there any other humans around?"

The three strangers shared a look and the girl approached him, scrutinizing him under those big green eyes. "I smell one of those stuck-up weirdos from the coast." She poked Riku in the face. The older boy grabbed her hand and apologized to him:

"Sorry about her, she likes to…poke stuff she's just seen. Especially if they're from the coast. I've never met someone who lived by the sea." He added with a bit of curiosity, himself.

"Yeah, I live somewhere with more water."

"Judging by your clothes unfit for desert and your vehicle." the smaller boy with glasses finally gave voice.

"Since you're lost we can take you to our town, Jasper, and you can make some connections. What do you say?"

Riku didn't answer at once. They had a town? A human town in this vast, alien plain of dry dirt, free from Decepticons and the cyberforming? This was definitely worth checking out. Though the name 'Jasper' sounded a bit familiar.

"'Kay, thanks. I'm Riku, by the way." He extended his hand, the human greeting his dad taught him.

"I'm Jack." The taller teenager smiled friendly. "Jack Darby. And the girl who was checking you out like a piece of meat is Miko Nakadai."

"Cool it, Darby!" she gave him a punch in the arm.

"And I'm Rafael Esquivel." The small one smiled timidly.

Riku was frozen on the spot, stunned by the revelation…and the shared similarities he had with this Jack and Miko. Or rather, the similarities _his_ _parents_ had with this _Jack_ and _Miko_.

"You okay, Riku?" Jack-not-dad asked.

"Y-yeah. Guess I've had too much sun. Please, lead the way and I'll follow." Nervously, Riku entered Smokescreen.

"Aren't you a little green to drive that?" Miko-not-mom asked. Riku gave her a strange look:

"Aren't you also green to drive that one?" he pointed to the SUV, which put her and her not-dad and not-uncle friends a bit on edge but gave no remark. Jack-not-dad led the way with the SUV and Smokescreen behind.

"Oh, man!" Riku sighed, heart pounding in his chest.

"Riku, those kids look just like your parents." Smokescreen whispered, he also in some shock.

"Yeah, I noticed."

"No, not like that. They look _exactly_ like your parents when they were kids! Exactly like I remember them!"

Riku paled.

"I believe I may have the answer." Scope said, from his hiding place in the passenger's seat. "Given how vast this desert appears to be, it is safe to assume this is more than an earth-puddle. The evidence of the younger versions of your parents and surrogate-uncle indicate we have gone back in time, to a pre-cyberformed Earth."

Riku laid back and let Smokescreen do the driving. This was just too much to grasp. For a long time Riku dreamed of the outside world, and once in a while wondered how things were before the cyberforming. All he knew was what his parents and uncle had shown him, tales and some pictures. Like the giant puddle of salty water called 'ocean'.

And now here he was free to see what it had been.

"It was that time-tunnel thing that blasted us back to the past, Fixit?"

"It's the only logical explanation. And my name is Scope."

"There's something else that is grinding my gears." Smokescreen put in. "I didn't live as long as Bee in Jasper but I made a lot of patrolling to get goes with the territory. And _this_ doesn't look like the Nevada desert. It's too hot, geographically different and too wild. I don't recall any of the mountains and we haven't seen any signs of civilization, we're not even rolling on asphalt."

"Yeah, it doesn't even look like we're heading to a town, just more of this _desert_." Riku tasted the word he had never used before this day. "Smoke, bring me closer to da…I mean, _Jack_. Need to have a word with him."

The car drove up to the motorcycle to stay on pair with it and Riku shouted to the teenager in white.

"You sure this is the way to your town? Seems kinda desolate to have a place on this land."

"Of course, that's why towns around here are not on the surface; unlike you do in the coast. Jasper is underground." Jack-not-dad replied with a chuckle.

"Underground?" Riku echoed. His parents never told him of underground cities and towns, especially Jasper. They should have mentioned that if it were true. "I never heard of towns under the ground. In what continent people do that?"

"In what continent?" Jack-not-dad let out another chuckle. "In the only continent that exists, dude. Pangea."

"Say what?"

* * *

**9****th**** September 2012.**

**Nevada, Central Desert, Pangea. Earth. Universe V.**

Smokescreen was forced into a breakneck stop when a startled Riku pressed the brakes. The others stopped on their tracks, too.

"Say what?"

"Pangea, you know the only continent there is." Jack-not-dad said like concluding two plus two equals four. "From that old film 'Around Pangea in 70 days'?"

"What's going on?" Miko-not-mom asked, exiting her vehicle. Jack-not-dad seemed uncertain how to explain:

"Well, Riku here doesn't know what Pangea is, I think."

"What are you guys talking about? What happened to Europe, and Africa and the Americas and rest?" Riku was livid; was everything his parents taught him about the outside world wrong? Or had he landed in a land of insanity? Or was this a dream?

The others shared a dubious look that said 'me thinks this guy is a tad, bit crazy'.

"You really hit your head, didn't you?" Miko-not-mom suggested.

"Uh, yeah, maybe, can't recall." Riku improvised, taking a hand to the back of his head for emphasis. Better to be taken as disoriented than insane. Maybe he could use this to get information. "My head does fells foggy. Could you guys please give me an update?"

The kids still looked dubious but now a shade of pity mixed in. They probably thought he was some guy from the coast who got lost and hit his head.

"_Great, now they pity me_." He grumbled mentally. Riku never liked been pitied, or being a burden. This sucked, though still better than being dragged to a mental hospital.

"Okay so it's like this." Rafael-not-uncle began, opening a laptop he had protected against the unforgiving sun. "About 300 million years ago, all the continents got locked into a supercontinent. A reaction in the crust locked all tectonic plates like that and the land became permanently stuck until today. No internal seas or lakes means the center is a great desert with green only on the coast."

"I've been surrounded by green most of my life, I can't imagine anyone living under this sun." Riku wiped his sweaty brow.

"True enough, but there's a lot of life and water underground." Raf-not-uncle smiled. "In the hottest parts of the Central Desert, cities and towns are built under the earth where is cool enough and water reservoirs flow."

"How do you people live underground all the time?" Riku asked, dumbfounded.

"Come and see." Miko-not-mom smirked and Riku had to smirk back. This sounded crazy, but his not-mom had just given him a chance to go where he wanted. In but one day he had seen scraplet hives, a giant tower made of wax, and a desert. Now he was gonna see an underground town, on what was supposed to be an alternate Earth. Jackpot!

Without warning, the air around him and Smokescreen started to vibrate with electricity. Their forms started to glow until they vanished before the stunned eyes of Miko, Jack and Rafael.

"What the scrap?" the girl's jaw hit the floor. Suddenly the SUV and motorcycle transformed into the Autobots Arcee and Bulkhead, optics watchful to any danger and the children safely on their servos.

"Wow, guys! What was that?" Jack asked.

"Don't know. That guy was off from the moment we saw him." Arcee relayed. "And the car he was in…was suspicious."

"You think it was a Decepticon?" Raf asked.

"No idea, kid. But we better tell this to Optimus." Bulkhead said.

* * *

So many things happened, that's why it took so long to write this one. I had to introduce Riku, explain Raf's banishment and subsequent mental problems, invent new scraplet breeds, come up with a Pangea environment. I even thought of bringing Riku to the underground Jasper for a while before disappearing. For those who haven't realized, Riku and company will be dimension-hopping for the duration of this mini-arc and travel through many crazy, alternate Earths.


	14. Chapter 14

**LuisJM:** I am co-writing Transformers Skystrikers, you don't have to tell me any of that.

**Game-Watch**: You gave a bit of an idea for this chapter.

**rukatofan89:** I already said this but following the canon end of the series, I find it unlikely Jack and Miko would have wound up together. In the series, they were just two great friends; nothing more. But in this world, they are two of the few last humans alive. Crudely speaking, their options to for the opposite sex were quite limited.

* * *

**17th July 2033. 20 years and 257 days AE.**

**Skyquakus (fka San Francisco), Decepticon Imperium. Universe XIII.**

Skyquakus was tranquil for a Decepticon city.

The city named after the fallen warrior Skyquake served two purposes. As a coastal city, it had hundreds of tubes constantly guzzling in energon for processing. Also served as a port to launch western expeditions to the Pacific. Skyquakus had landing strips and a spaceport where Seekers and small scout ships could take off.

Located in the far west of the Decepticon Imperium, Skyquakus never saw any sign of battle since its colonization. A big, dull city to collect fuel. Megatron dreamed of one day sending armies of Decepticons to colonize the islands of the Pacific. But until the Autobot threat on the East was crushed, those dreams would remain just that.

But today something broke that monotony when the Lord of the Decepticons ordered a newly arriving spaceship to land there.

It had been a long time since the Great Gathering, the short period when all Autobots and Decepticons returned from the stars to continue the war on this planet. As time passed, the numbers of arriving ships decreased. But there were always late ones.

"The _Huntress_ is docking." The Vehicon operator declared as the one-bot ship landed softly in port. This arrival was a special one and Megatron himself had come to Skyquakus to receive the captain and sole crew member.

"Barricade, it pleases me to see you again." before Megatron stepped an average-sized mech with powerful limbs and many scars from previous battles, both earned in the gladiatorial arena and the battlefield.

"Sure it does, Big M. What would it be of the Decepticons without me?" the veteran in black chassis smirked pleased to see his fellow Decepticons were nervous just to look at him, save for Megatron.

Barricade had been an old gladiator of Kaon, experienced in battle and personal trainer of Megatronus. His favorite activity was taunting and demoralizing his fellow Decepticons like a drill-sergeant. This motivates them to fight harder, which Megatron appreciated very much.

In a way, Barricade was the Decepticon version of Ironhide.

"Barricade, last I heard of your expedition, you set out alone to hunt Autobots across the stars."

"You know me, Megatron. I ain't about to let a 'Bot to escape Decepticon justice. Especially if said 'Bot is innocent. My last hunt took me to the edge of known space, reason why I'm late."

"You are with us now, brother. Let us walk." Megatron led and his old coach followed. The warlord briefed him on the latest events, especially the amassing of a Predacon army. And the Autobots' response by waging on combiner power.

"Unfortunately we have lost one of our own combiners, Menasor, through the demise of Motormaster."

"Can't say I'm surprised. The king of the road lost his highness." Barricade sneered at the late Stunticon leader and torso component. Not that Motormaster had ever been much of a leader, if the rebellious nature of the Stunticon was testimony to that.

"With the loss of our great General Strika, you are my best commander for our ground forces. Which is why I will institute you as trainer and new leader of the Stunticons."

"In other words, you want me to take charge of the loose cannons, tune up the slackers and warn you in case you're about to do something stupid like invading Russia in winter, correct?" any other Decepticon who would dare address Lord Megatron in such way would have his Spark cut out before his very optics. But Barricade, one of Megatron oldest followers and the very one who trained him with a sword, was a unique exception. His excellence as a warrior and ruthless tactician made him one of the most feared Decepticons, reason why Megatron tolerated his loud mouth.

Plus there was the side effect of his taunting improving the skill of his soldiers.

"Precisely." the leader smirked.

"You'll have it, Big M." Barricade punched his own chest as the old greeting between the two went. He began to walk away and prepare to scold some random soldiers when an afterthought occurred to him. "Say, Megatron, what happened to the Autobot yellow scout? The one whose voice box you tore off in Tiger Pax?"

"He has risen to become a warrior and a lieutenant."

"Ah!" Barricade was delighted. "Bumblebee, the one that got away."

Of all the Autobots Barricade had set out to hunt down during the War for Cybertron, the meddlesome scout was the only one that narrowly escaped him. Barricade had marked him as a priority target, one whose helm he would hang from his wall.

After all, that Autobot had performed the greatest crime against the Decepticon Imperium: staying alive.

* * *

**12th April.**

**Jasper, Nevada. Earth-HoS. Universe II.**

Being Cybertronian rather than human gives one many advantages. One such is not even being fazed if you are lightly zapped. Which was why only Riku felt a jolt up his spine in the moment they disappeared from the Pangea Earth where they had met a trio of familiar faces.

"Ah, never gonna get used to that!" Riku groaned, still inside the car form of Smokescreen. "What happened?"

"I can tell you one thing. We're not in Pangea anymore."

Riku casted a dubious look to their arid surroundings. The landscape was still a blistering desert with imposing mesas of red stone, sculpted by millennia of arid winds.

"How can you tell, Smoke?"

"Because this is some part of around Jasper I used to patrol, back when…" Smokescreen cut himself off before mentioning the time before Riku existed, a time when Earth was untouched by the Omega Lock.

"You sure?"

"Partner, your planet can be kinda dull on landscapes, but after passing the same place over a million times, it sticks to your processor. I'm telling you, we're in Nevada, not so far from Jasper."

"Perhaps we have travelled to another alternate Earth. One that also suffered no cyberforming." Scope hummed. "Yet I am unable of reaching any satellite signal."

Smokescreen verified his comm-link only to receive static. "Can't reach any Autobot, either."

"Backtrack a bit, how come we ended up here? Last I checked, the Raf-not-uncle didn't cook up another time-tunnel."

Scope used his shoulder-mounted telescope to scan all three of them. "It appears we are still influenced by _our_ Dr. Esquivel's failed attempt at time-travel. The blast of the time-tunnel has infused our bodies with that unstable transwarp energy. It stands to reason we might be dimension-hopping until this energy runs out."

"And if it runs out while we're stuck on a Universe ruled by the 'Cons?" Smokescreen enquired. Riku winced:

"Then we better find another mad scientist with a makeshift, faulty time-machine."

"As Optimus says, no point in mulling about what we can't control. Let's have a look around. This Earth seems nice enough but better not call too much attention." Smokescreen activated his holoform on the driver's place while Riku moved to the passenger seat and Scope kept hidden.

Smokescreen soon found a dirt road running alongside a solitary railway line.

Having nothing better to do, Riku examined their surroundings. This wasn't much different from Pangea, maybe a bit less arid. Still dry, hot and dull, though. The only thing worth watching were the train track, two parallel lines of black metal running on top of a trail of wooden beams.

"This looks new."

"Huh?"

"The railroad." Riku pointed out. "The metal looks recent and the wood freshly cut." even a boy who grew up on a world of metal had seen wood growing old. His house on Geneva had scavenged furniture and utensils. Riku was somewhat fascinated with wood, as it was such a rare thing in the world he lived in.

"Yeah, they do." Smokescreen slowed down just enough to verify. "Maybe it's something new. I don't recall trains passing by Jasper."

"Human alert!" Scope beamed his alarm. "My scanners picked up a human life-signature half a kilometer away, just behind that hill!" he pointed to a hill the train line ran over. Smoke reduced his speed and noise, not to tip off whomever was on the other side.

Smokescreen transformed and sneaked up the hill with Riku and Scope perched on his shoulder. Heads low, they narrowly spotted the train rail ended on the other side of the hill, as they were still under construction.

The endeavour was being carried out by a small pack of human silhouettes. Two put on spikes to bind down the rails while a hulking one hammered down the spikes.

"That's why the rail look brand new." Riku observed the work with interest. Autobots seldom had to build roads, and when they did, giant machines were employed that performed the job fast and perfectly.

He jumped off Smoke's shoulder to get a closer look. He crawled to the very edge of the hill.

"Riku, careful. We're not supposed to be seen."

"Relax, I'm just…"

Predictably, the earth beneath his chest gave away and Riku rolled down the hill before Smokescreen could grab him.

"Scrap! Scrap! Scrap!" Smokescreen muttered through clenched dental. If he leaped to the other side and grabbed Riku, the humans would definitely see him. But if they saw Riku…

The boy in question finally ended his descent covered in dirt. To his fortune he suffered no injury, save for a few minor bruises.

"Slag it, that was…"

"What's this, boy?" a looming form stood over Riku, who looked up to see a mountain of a man of dark brown skin, carrying a giant hammer over his shoulder. Mom and dad had taught him there used to be people with different skin colors. "You're the new helper or what?"

"Uh...I'm Riku."

"Rico? Well, about time you got here. Now on your feet! This rail line ain't making itself. That's what working men are on God's Earth for." the man shouted in a voice of command but also enjoyment, as the thought of working hard for a living was his reason for living.

The man turned around and walked back to the group, barking at them to get back to the job. Riku glanced up the hill where Smokescreen and Scope peaked with wariness. He made them an appeasing gesture not to make a scene. Riku was going to play this out not to rouse suspicion. Plus, he wasn't about to waste a chance to interact more with other humans.

Riku got up and skipped after the mountain of muscle man. In spite of his daunting stature, he appeared friendly enough, if demanding. He asked the man's name.

"Call me John Henry."

The other railworkers included two men not as big and physically apt as John Henry. They were the ones who brought and placed the spikes which Henry hammered down. The pair looked at the giant like an unofficial boss, leader and friend. Not too different from how some 'Bots like Arcee and Bumblebee looked at Optimus.

"Boys, this is _Rico_, the new helping stuart. These two are Cletus and Brawley." he indicated respectively the brawnier of the two with black hair and stubble beard and then taller of the two with brown hair.

"So we got a new one. And this doesn't have much meat on his arms." Cletus looked over Riku like someone looking a piece of meat of size to small for the price.

"He'll get 'em in time." Henry muttered.

Riku was urging himself to keep calm and collected despite the hole he had dug himself into. It was plain to see these people were putting together this railroad and they thought he was here to help out. Problem was, he knew next to nothing when it came to railroads. The closest he came into contact with the subject was once meeting a member of the Bullet Trains, Railspike.

"Rico, you'll be workin' with our wood cutter, Jack. He'll tell ya how it's done." Henry pointed him to pile of stacked tree trunks. Riku walked towards it like a 'Bot to the smelting pit.

The final railworker was a young man on the threshold of adulthood. Muscular, tanned arms pushed and pull a saw, as long as a man's height, on a trunk laid horizontally. The result, of the trunk's side fell, neatly cut. The young man put down the saw and wiped a sweaty brow.

The moment faces met, one was fairly surprised and the other positively awed. Guess whom was what.

"You the new helper?" asked the fairly surprised youth. "If John Henry sent ya ta me, give a hand."

The positively awed boy's response was anything but expected:

"_Dad?!_"

Facing him was _another_ young Jack Darby much like and unlike the one Riku met on the alternate Earth-Pangea.

"You been sunstruck, kid? Do I look like your father to you?"

"...Sorry...It's just...my dad is named 'Jack'." that was no lie.

Jack Darby shrugged. "Whatever. We wasted enough time talkin'." he picked up a two-man saw and pointed at the trunks. "Our job is to cut the ties for the rail. We cut the trunks on two sides. Like those." he motioned for a small pile logs with cleanly cut with two smooth parallel sides.

"Okay. And we do it together with _that_?" he pointed to the two-man saw. Though Riku was clever enough to figure out what the manual device was for, he had never seen one like it before. He had seen plenty of sophisticated energon-powered saw blades and laser cutters. Never such a primitive thing.

"Aye." Jack grabbed on end of the saw. "Never seen one of these before? You a city-boy?"

"...I lived most of my days in a city, yeah." again, not a lie.

Jack grumbled something Riku didn't pick up. He gave a summarized crash course on how to operate the saw. Push and pull. For someone who occasionally had to work with technology eons ahead of humanity's, it was as simple as breathing.

Unfortunately, it wasn't nowhere as easy.

Riku instantly learnt it required a bit of muscle when it came to pull the saw. Jack performed his part with practice and diligence. Riku never had such an intense manual labour. After half an hour and fatigue beginning to accumulate.

"You tired already, city-boy?" the disdain in his alternative father's face was impossible to miss. Despite being a younger version, Riku couldn't help but feel like his true dad was scolding him.

"I'm only thirteen."

"I was twelve when I started out. Now keep up!"

They continued for another hour, with very short and infrequent breaks. Riku's blisters had their own blisters. His hands were sweaty and red, but his complaints had been mute. The skin exposed to the sun became tainted red. He hurt like the Pit, but he wasn't going to give this Jack Darby, father or not, the satisfaction of hearing him whine or think of him like a piece of scrap.

Jack hadn't said a word, too. The only change was when Cletus and Brawley came to take the cut ties for Henry to hammer down.

A bell rang on the other side where the grown men worked.

"Lunch break!" Cletus announced.

Riku gave a silent but thankful pray to Primus.

They joined Cletus, Brawley and Jonh Henry sitting around a campfire but there was no food in sight. Brawley strummed the banjo. Riku seized the moment to ask:

"So, why are we doing this?" he indicated the rail with head movement.

Henry sighed heavily. He gazed from the railroad into the distant barren. "Many reasons, city-boy. Because those soft-skin fat cats in Carson City want it, despite most folks sayin' it ain't happening. Because when this line reaches the Mining Town, the gold mines will expand and the people here will get better lives."

"Mining Town?"

Jack pointed the same direction Henry had looked. "It's where we're gonna live. The town is being built close to a new gold mine in the region. And when this line is done, the gold will be transported all over the state."

"Okay...but why Mining Town? That's...not really original." Riku tried not to sound ignorant or offensive.

Cletus put down his cigar and shrugged. "Nobody got a good name for it. Probably one of 'em fat cats will name it after himself."

"If it's your future town, you guys should name it." Riku suggested.

Cletus shrugged noncommittally while Brawley continued strumming the banjo, absentminded. John Henry hummed, like he was only half-interested in naming a future town. It was Jack who spoke his thoughts.

"I name it 'Jasper'."

"Jasper, Nevada?" for some reason, a smile crept up on Riku's face.

"Aye." Jack answered again in that funny vocabulary.

A patterned noise grew out of the silence. It sounded like multiple drums been played in synchrony. And it grew louder and closer. The railworkers immediately perked up, Brawley finally put down the banjo.

"Finally." Jack smiled. Everyone looked to the railroad coming down the hill. Riku watched with curious expectancy.

* * *

"Slag it, why does Riku always gets himself in these scrapheaps?" the Elite Guardsbot repressed the urge to facepalm. He stood watch while Scope discreetly watched Riku over the hill. His partner had decided to play along with the native humans of this dimension.

"Maybe Riku just wishes to interact with other humans. He never had the opportunity to do such, before. On the other hand, this is an opportunity for him to gather intelligence of this Earth, as it seems my methods are ineffectual." Scope's opinion appeased Smokescreen's frustration. All he wanted was to get his partner safely to his side and try to find a way back to their Earth. Yet, despite his overzealousness, he couldn't blame the boy for his wish.

Smokescreen had never dared ask how Riku felt being possible the last born human. The boy that Optimus assigned him to protect had always known, grew up under that fact. Yet he had never experienced humanity, until now. How does one feel when he at last touches what had been denied him even before birth?

Those deep thoughts were wiped out when his audio receptors picked up an avalanche of noise travelling on the railroad.

"Is that a train...hold on!"

* * *

It wasn't a train, that much Riku was certain. He had seen pictures of trains and had once interacted with an Autobot who could transform into one.

The metal beast that approached them wasn't as aerodynamic. It looked like a metal of black metal walking on several wheels. At the front, the cylinder had a chimney atop. On the back, a cabin for the machinist

Behind the _train_ ran a cart carrying a black rocky mount...Was that coal? The black energy source humanity used to burn on his Earth? Riku never had seen or used anything other energy source besides energon.

"About time that locomotive got here." Jonh Henry howled over the growing noise.

"Locomotive." Riku whispered. He recalled hearing that word, once. Maybe. But couldn't put his finger on it. Probably a time his parents had told him about the old world?

"Jack!" shouted a woman ridding on the cabine with the machinist. When the engine stopped at the end of the line, the woman leaped out of the cabin and came up to the embarrassed teenager, who muttered:

"Hello, mother."

"Mother?" Riku gasped. The woman had raven hair arranged in a not and fairly decent but humble clothes. It wasn't very often his dad spoke of his side of the family, but he had occasionally talked about June Darby. This lady was Riku's alternate grandmother!

"Who's the squirt?" another person exited the locomotive. A girl with lengthy raven hair falling on her back.

"This is Rico, the kid helper." Jack responded.

"Looks like a city-boy." she wrinkled her nose. Riku grunted under his breath.

"John, how are you?" June Darby went for the man with the hammer, who had just disengaged conversation with the anonymous machinist.

While the natives conversed, Riku was left alone with his thoughts. Thoughts that had been increasingly nagging him. He had been told by his parents and Ratchet that humanity had primitive tech compared to Cybertronian. But a manual saw and an old train was way overboard primitive.

And then there were the clothes, the dialect…

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the machinist holding a piece of printed paper. A newspaper, if he recalled.

"Sir, could I have that?"

The train driver shrugged and handed over the paper. "Sure, lad. That's a week old, anyways."

Riku had never read or held a newspaper before, but if the stories of what his dad use to say were accurate, the paper should have a date on the front page. He looked past the name in big, black letter and all other news events. It was impressive how a collection of letter in numbers, each no bigger than his pinky nail, made everything clash together:

5th April 1867

...

"_I'm in the fragging past._"

Stunned as he was, Riku didn't feel Jack until he started shaking him on the shoulder.

"Are you stayin' there until next season, city-boy? We're having lunch."

It turned out June and Miko had brought water, bread and a stewpot of meat to serve lunch to the workers. For Riku it was another new experience. Growing up on farm foods, he had had very little meat on his diet. Seldom he ate chicken, as those had to be spared to produce eggs.

"Looking at you hands, I can tell you're a _hai'po rrŭñ_." he heard close to his ear, above the cacophony of the grown-ups talking.

"What?" Riku was agape. That wasn't Japanese, at all.

"That's 'butterfly' in my Shoshoni dialect. You never had hard work before in your life, had ya?"

Riku changed the subject. "What's that Shoshoni dialect?"

It was Jack who answered, much to Miko's apparent displeasure. "She's got indian blood."

Miko hissed at the young man. "Not indian, you dirt for brains! I'm native american, unlike you!"

"Native?" Riku interceded before the two exchanged blows. "Aren't you japanese?"

Miko sighed, caressing a lock of air. "My grandparents came from Japan and grew up here. Later, my father would end up marrying my mother of the Goshute tribe. And that was when the Goshute war was still going."

"So you're like, half-japanese, half-native American." Riku analysed her face one more time. The differences in heritage didn't appear to modify her features, at all.

"Makes me more true American than jackrabbit here." he pointed an uninterested thumb to Jack.

"You call your indian ancestors who ate bugs and crickets 'true Americans'?" he taunted. Riku was about to see another potential argument explode when Mrs. Darby put out the spark:

"That's enough, children! Eat your stew. Jack, you still have work for the rest of the day. And you, Miko, you still have to catch more vegetables."

The girl pouted. "Same things are just like in the tribe. Working and hunting is for men. House chores for women. I can cut ties as good as he."

June Darby sat down besides Riku and asked gently:

"You are the helper boy, Rico?"

He nodded. "Yep, I'm the city boy."

The woman smiled. "Don't let that put you down. Jack takes a while a warm up to anyone. He took it after Jonh." her smile widened as she casted her eyes on the man.

"He really looks up to him, uh?"

"He does. Jack's father took the horse and hit the road before my son learnt to walk. And when Jack had to work to get us enough food, John Henry took him under his wing."

"_Like Old Jeffrey._" Riku thought of the man he never knew, who had been his father's paternal figure.

Thinking back to his parents made him ponder about their current alternate versions. This Jack and Miko weren't very nice, but they weren't bad people. First impressions aside, of course. Not too surprising, they didn't have the caring nature of his mom and dad.

Back in Geneva, his parents never let Riku do anything too dangerous, much to his desperation. Always shielding Riku him from a world of metal giants. Yet this Jack and these people promptly allowed Riku to do anything they do. Their existence was so simple, never plagued by worries of an ancient alien war.

"What of your family, Rico?" June Darby asked suddenly.

"My parents...live in the big city." again, the game of telling not-lies. Best to change the subject. "This stew is the best. Been a long time since I've had meat."

"Don't you city people have meat every meal?" Jack butted in.

"No, we have to spare."

"It's alright, Rico." June comforted him. "I used to live in Carson City with Jack but when our money ran out and they were selecting people to colonize a region rich in gold, we moved to Mining Town."

"Oh, I just came here with some friends." and Riku supplemented the urge for facepalming. He had totally forgotten about Smokescreen and Scope. He looked back to the hill and put down his empty bowl.

"I have to go. Nature calls." without another word, he took off. He went behind the locomotive and, making sure nobody was looking, turned around the hill.

Before leaving, he gave one final look to Jack and Miko. He would never again see these versions of his parents.

* * *

**9th September 2013.**

**California. Earth-Teno. Universe IV.**

"Now this is more like it!" Riku's cheering eyes feasted on the new surroundings.

The next dimensional jump had struck. Out the dry and dull desert and in with a split image of white and green. They found themselves driving on a road by the infinite ocean of white on one side and green hills of trees in the other.

"How about we stick around for awhile?" the boy looked from one end to the other. He had seen trees before, but never so many. As for the ocean of water, it was a fresh wonder. Even if it was… "If that's a real ocean, why is it white?"

Smokescreen was just as confused. "Riku, everything we've seen since this mess started makes my processor go haywire. Your planet's oceans used to be wet and blue before the cyberforming. I don't know what that white, shinny stuff is."

"Maybe I could discover the nature of the substance if I could collect some…"

"Scrap no! We're not stopping until we figure out where we are. That's just begging to Unicron to get us separated."

Riku winced, feeling how tense his partner was. A car passed them on the opposite direction and Smoke seemed to relax an inch.

"At least we know we're on a current time Earth."

"I detect satellite signals. I may use them to determine our current position and present information." Scope suggested.

"Yeah, you do that." Riku didn't pay it much heed. All he cared presently were wide areas of green grass and unusual sea. He opened the window and took a sniff of air, only to discover a similar scent to energon.

Disappointment. Mom and dad used to tell him about the old oceans and their salty smell, something Riku never experienced or imagined before. And fate was aching to keep it that way, even on an alternate world.

"Location pinpointed!" all the attention was on Scope. "We are currently travelling on the western border of California and just about to enter the city of San Francisco."

"San Francisco? What does it…" Riku was stun silenced when they turned around a mountain.

The ocean invaded the land in the shape of a glittering bay of liquid marble. The city was settled on the other margin, accessible by a bridge.

It was said bridge that had amazed Riku into silence. Two towering red prongs, bound together, were presented at the entrance of the bridge. They reached above the gates of Geneva. To many they may be just a pair of towers, but to Riku, they were omnipotent guards to the metropolis. And this awe came from a boy who lived among giant alien robots.

"Primus! Who built this?" Riku wasn't expecting an answer, but Scope gave him one.

"I can research on the humans who engineered it, if you wish."

"Humans _built_ this?!"

"Indeed. It was designed and built by humans."

Astounded the boy was. Another idea rooted in by his childhood was that humans could never build anything big. Regardless what his mother spoke about the big cities that were once proliferating with humans before the cyberforming.

All of his life he had seen Autobots construct big things. Not humans.

He reclined on his seat, a tinge of disappointment.

Riku, the boy who knew how to operate a groundbridge, studied cybertronian history and could name the molecular structure of several different brands of energon.

Riku, the city-boy who had never had a day of bitter manual work, was too short-sighted to conceive what human architecture was capable of, and never cared for the plain fact that he was the last of his species, on Earth.

The youngest human on his Earth felt the disappointment mutate into self-loathing. He despised this feeling of despising himself!

Absently turning to the window to smother those thoughts, he came upon a boy in a car besides them. The boy had blond crisp hair and looked a tad younger than Riku. His attention was locked in a hand-held device of a sorts.

Riku didn't pay the other boy much attention, either. That changed when he realized what the blonde's head was equipped with.

"Smoke, do you humans wear metal on their heads?" he asked out of the blue to the unexpecting Autobot.

"No...yeah, some needed metal in their dental structure. Never figured out why, though."

"Yeah, I just saw a guy with some metal casings on his hair." Riku put a hand covering his hair-covered scalp for emphasis. "And now that I look around, I'm seeing a ton more people with metal in their scalps." he looked around to other passengers who passed by and occasional pedestrians.

Smokescreen managed not to halt in shock when he realized it was true; every humans on their sight had smooth metal casings attached to the back of their heads.

"Okay, let's resume what we learnt about this crazy Earth, so far: water glows white and humans have metal on their heads. What else?" the driving Autobot, his holoform fizzles for just a split second. This was just another alternate world that was gonna get Riku out of his sights.

"The Autobots have revealed themselves to humanity." Scope added.

"Joke's not appreciated, Fixit."

"It's 'Scope'." the minicon produced an holographic video feed. "And it was not a joke. I just watched this on the human media."

A female reporter spoke to the camera, which turned to the stunning image of Optimus Prime speaking to a crowd of more humans and cameras. Two other 'Bots, Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead stood behind him like silent body-guards. "_We go to you live, on Geneva, where the leader of the alien Autobots, Optimus Prime, is to deliver a speech to the United Nations and the rest of the world. It has been half a month since the off-world visitors arrived on a ship to the headquarters of the UN, promising the much sought out answers for humanity."_

"What the scrap?!" Smokescreen would have gaped if his mouth was transformed_._

Optimus in the video spoke to the crowd: _"Thank you, people of Earth. I am Optimus Prime of Cybertron and I am humbled to be welcomed to your world. We Autobots come in peace and thank all of humanity for welcoming us._"

There were flashes of pictures being taken, but Optimus continued undisturbed by all the attention.

"That's a sight I never thought I'd see." Smokescreen confessed. He had to pay attention to drive accordingly and listen to the video at the same time. Good thing a cybertronian processor is more proficient at multitasking than a human brain.

"Maybe the 'Bots here had no reason to keep hidden. If Megatron attacked humanity openly, the 'Bots wouldn't have to work under the shadows, right?" Riku looked at Scope for confirmation.

"That appears not to be the case. Apparently, the Autobots and Decepticons in this dimension have only recently arrived on Earth."

Optimus now gave a resumed history of the War for Cybertron: "_We Autobots sought to bring a liberal rule, contrasting to the Decepticons who believed a dictatorship would bring about the renaissance of Cybertron."_

A pause.

"_The change that has befallen your planet was the work of the Decepticons attempting to cyberform your planet. To turn its environment into that of a new Cybertron in a failed attempt to conquer your planet_."

Gasps from Riku and Scope. Smoke would have, too, but in his current form, his vocoder could not produce the reflex.

"_We fought them back and decided to initiate contact with your planet in hopes of aiding your kind with this change. Thank you for listening._" Scope chose to end the feed there.

Smokescreen was the first to break the short silence. "Well, that was explanatory enough. So this Earth had a botched cyberforming makeover."

"I have accessed that all life on Earth has been mutated into technorganic lifeforms. This transformation is very recent."

"So, Megatron used the Omega Lock to cyberform Earth, but in this Universe, he failed." Riku summarized, casting a look on the horizon between the blue sky and milky ocean. It irradiated an alien beauty. "Cool."

Ten minutes later and the trio was relaxing out of sight, on a deserted beach of San Francisco. To figure out a solution to their current dilemma as well as to avoid making a public scene if they got blasted into another alternate Earth.

Scope performed a scan on the three of them and hid back inside Smokescreen. "Maybe if I can tap into the transwarp energy embedded in us, I can discover how we're being randomly transported and direct us back to our Universe."

"And in the meantime, we just stay put. I can live with that plan." Smokescreen finally allowed himself some mental relief. It was partner who didn't feel as conformed with the reality. He wordlessly exited the vehicle and went to sit on a rock.

The shrieks of excitement and joy lure his eyes to a small family in the distance, blissfully enjoying the beach.

Since their arrival to this world, he had seen so many humans of all looks and shapes. Some looking old with wrinkles, others just like him, shorter or taller. Men and women like his parents. Boys like him. Girls like...he had never seen.

A species ever growing and evolving in this alternate Universe.

Again he was lured from his contemplating by the sound of laughter. A girl and a boy, with technorganic parts, played in the wet, white glowing sand by the sea. They looked just a tad younger than himself. Together, they laughed and pushed each other, until the girl playfully threw a ball of wet sand at his face. The boy fell on his back and proceeded to cry. The girl went over to and consoled him, wiping the sand from his face. Not two kliks later, the pair was laughing together again.

A strange nostalgia grew like a root in his stomach.

"_Why do I feel like this?_"

It was not like he had no friends. Smokescreen, Arcee, Bumblebee, Wheeljack...were all Autobots! Not humans. Why did he feel like that mattered, now? Optimus often says every sentient being holds the same life. Where did this new wanting for human companionship crawled out of?

Frustrated, he got up from his uncomfortable seat. "I'm going for a walk."

"No, you're not."

"Watch me." he walked away. Smokescreen's engine revved:

"Riku, I'm not joking." it wasn't often that Smokescreen berated his partner. Usually was when he pulled an old Miko move of sneaking into danger.

"Neither am I…" Riku turned his face to the sports car. There was no desire of mischief, only a hard resolve which surprised the Autobot. "I'm not going too far. I just need to check something out." and he walked towards the beach.

Wind vented out of Smokescreen's heatsinks. "What bug crawled up his tailpipe and started a war?"

"Humans don't quite have a tailpipe, at least not in the strict definition of the word."

"Yes, Fixit. I got it."

"It's Scope."

Keeping to his promise, Riku didn't go far off. It wouldn't be prudent to let himself be seen. He just wanted to watch these people closer. Besides the young pair, there was an elder lady and an adult couple. The grown-ups were contended to relax and watch the children playing. It seemed like a perfect life.

So absorbed he was that Riku nearly jumped, startled by a soft whine. At his left, partially hidden behind some dry vegetation was an ugly creature. With four legs and a snout, it brought back a picture he had once seen in an archive of a Decepticon drone: Ravager.

The creature was small and scrawny. Grime covered what little fur it had on the front half of the body; the rest was just as filthy, though bald. Yet, like all lifeforms on this Earth, it had been mutated into a technorganic. The metal parts implanted on the knees, nose and spine were just as bad looking as the flesh.

He felt pity for the thing, which only increased tenfold when it whined at him.

"Hey...you okay?" he stepped to the animal and put a hand on its head. It didn't bite, maybe it was friendly, or just too weak. The animal gave another pleading whine and Riku didn't have the lack of heart to refuse it. Carefully, he scooped up the creature in his arms. It weighed far less than he expected.

The creature moaned and moved a paw to touch Riku's hand. The gesture, somehow, brought a smile to the boy's face.

"_Smokescreen is not gonna like this._"

"Not saying I don't like this." Smokescreen vented the moment Riku finished explaining that he wanted to bring the technorganic creature - now identified as a breed of dog called 'golden retriever' - with them. "I'm saying I don't like that you just picked up a stray while we're in the middle of a crisis."

Riku spared a glance to the dog, which was being scanned by Scope at the boy's request. "Smoke, I know this is too much to ask."

"Yeah, it is. Even if we return home, there's no guarantee that he'll make it."

"Yeah, but…"

"If you want to save him, we drive it to one of those places humans look after dogs."

"So now I can go out in public?" Riku shot him a look. "You said I couldn't let myself be seen because of _this_." he pointed to his head of full hair and no metal.

"We'll improvise. You just drop him by their door and we take off. If anyone notices you, scrap it." Smokescreen was visibly frustrated which was getting on Riku's nerves, but the boy bit his tongue. At least his partner had agreed to help the poor thing.

"Analysis terminated." Scope withdrew his scanner from the curled up animal. It had hard to tell if it was sleeping or not. "While this golden retriever specimen seem to have suffered the same technorganic mutation like the rest of the flora and fauna of Earth, its frame is very much damage. I detected two cracked ribs and weakened state due to malnourishment. I'm afraid without proper medical intervention, it soon will expire."

"Okay. Just don't call him an 'it'." Riku put a gentle hand on the dog's head. Two tired dark-brown eyes travelled to him. His paw went to meet Riku's hand, who took it on his palm.

A pang of kindness struck the boy. It was impossible not to feel sympathy for this creature.

"Don't worry, buddy. You'll be alright."

Smokescreen cut the moment short. "Alright, get him in and I'll drive to the nearest…"

Zap! And the foursome disappeared from this Universe.

* * *

**4th December 2012.**

**Jasper, Nevada. Earth-SG. Universe III.**

"…him. What the scrap!?"

Gone was the city beach and back were the familiar arid sightings of Nevada. Smokescreen held back a growl and transformed.

"Don't tell we're back at the Steam Age!"

"Negative. I can detect several satellite signals and have verified we are in on Nevada."

"Uh, guys. We have a stowaway." Riku pointed to the dog, whose paw was still in his hand.

"And now _this_!" this time, the growl was out.

"Relax, Smoke. It's not the end of the world."

"Isn't it? I'm trying to make sense of a mess of situation I can't figure out. Why on the AllSpark have we jumped to another Earth so soon?" the 'Bot was on the breaking point.

"I can't say for certain, I need to scan us more thoroughly." Scope began to scan Riku who just focused on comforting the dog. If the animal was startled or aware of the sudden change of surroundings, he may have not the strength to react or even care.

Then, noises of blasting rang battle alarms on their heads.

"Stay behind. I'll check it out." Smokescreen moved out. Stalking behind a rocky hill, he stumbled upon a discouraging sight in the sky.

"Dreadwing, you're with me." shouted a white jet with a commanding tone Smoke never heard before coming from said _jet._

"Copy that, Starscream." replied a bulky, green jet.

"Great, Scream and Wondertwin are still kicking on this Earth. Only with new paint jobs." he scorned at the airborne 'Cons. They appeared to be in battle with someone else.

"Are those guys any good?"

"Dreadwing is an old-school ready to follow Buckethead to Unicron's tailpipe and back. Starscream though would sooner sell Megatron to Unicron." But he's still dangerous in his own way, Riku." only now did Smokescreen realized the presence of his partner. And that of the dog in his arms. "Riku, what the scrap? I told you to stay put."

"What can I say? I'm my mom's son."

"Apologies," Scope joined them. "but Riku insisted we should stay together in case the next dimension-jump happens right now."

"Whatever." Smoke groaned. "For now, we wait and watch."

"Why?" Riku asked.

"First rule of Magnus' handbook: never go into battle until you're sure it's the right battle."

Smokescreen's prudence was right for the Decepticons' opponent was none other than Optimus Prime. This once came with a different paintjob, too. Dark purple and black replacing the red and blue, and his optics bloody red. Oh, and he was also laughing sinisterly:

"Feel my infinite might!" he drew an arch with the Star Saber, hurling an energy wave against the 'Cons. Both avoided being annihilated by the blow, but their wings were damaged and they crash-landed.

The Prime chuckled malevolently.

"Okay, now I'm glad I didn't leap in there to fight for _that_ Optimus." Smokescreen cringed at the idea of following that creep that could only have come out of Unicron's imagination.

The two disoriented Seekers were grounded and the Prime would have finished them with another strike. But a new opponent showed up and delivered a right hook on the dark Optimus' chin.

"If you want my soldiers, Optimus, you'll have to go through me first." challenged a Megatron, placing himself between his followers and the enemy.

"Oh, that's original." muttered a deadpanned Smokescreen. "Let me guess, we landed on a Universe where 'Cons are good and 'Bots are bad."

"How can you even conceive an idea like that?" Scope eyed him strangely.

"After all the scrap we've been through, nothing more can surprise me. Slag, I bet we'll even see an evil-me."

Right on cue, a Smokescreen with gray and dark-red colors came into scene, firing at some Vehicons. He carried a vicious smirk on his faceplates.

"Called it."

Meanwhile, a green-themed Airachnid and a blue Knock Out with scratches all over had just extracted a large, golden hammer from a rock.

"The Forge of Solus Prime!" Scope exclaimed.

"Megatron, we got it!" the blue Knock Out shouted.

"We have what we came for. Decepticons, retreat." the Decepticon leader commanded.

"NO!" a furious Optimus hurled a bow an energy at the sports car and the spider taking the relic away.

Fortunately Soundwave came to open a groundbridge for them two, who escaped just in the brink of time.

"Megatron is injured, we must get him to safety." Starscream urged. With Dreadwing and Breakdown, they carry their leader away. The silent spymaster opened a bridge for them, too.

"Thank you for choosing Sir Soundwave Airline!" said the actually-not-so-silent spymaster.

Aggravated for the loss of the relic, Optimus focuses his gaze on Soundwave and attacked with the Star Saber. He narrowly escaped the blow but that distraction was enough for Optimus to shoot him down. Soundwave was in stasis and at the mercy of the evil Autobots.

"Ratchet, prepare your interrogation berth. We have a prisoner to accommodate." Optimus ordered through his comm-link.

The witnesses to the battle saw everything happening with mixed feelings on what to do.

"Should we help? I know it's a 'Con, but those Autobots look just evil." Riku pointed out

"Yeah, but we don't know if these 'Cons are really the good guys, too. This could be a Universe where both sides were bad."

"Oh, they're the good guys, alright. They're too good for their own good, if you ask me." spoke a voice they had recently heard on previous Earths. Behind them was a Jack Darby that looked like walking bad news. It wasn't the blood-red mohawk, the piercings on the ear and chin, the sleeveless black t-shirt with a red pentagram but rather the wicked expression in his face like a hungry carnivore eyeing its soon to be dead catch.

"Let me guess, you're supposed to be an evil Jack, right?" Smoke frowned.

"An evil Jack? Now there's an interesting idea." the punk-looking Satanist irradiated gleeful malice. Fortunately he never got to do anything to them for the accumulated transwarp energy zapped them to another Earth.

* * *

**21st April 2015.**

**Death Valley, Earth-TofTS. Universe X.**

"I'm starting to get used to it." Riku massaged his back as best as he was able to. Another jump to another Earth meant another shock to the spine. The dog curled up on his arms made no move. Maybe technorganics didn't feel the shock like Cybertronians.

"Another jump sooner than the last. I thought we should be slowing down." Smokescreen complained.

"I believe the transwarp energy in our bodies is not decreasing, but rather increasing, augmented by every dimensional jump we suffer." Scope explained. "If this continues, our time between jumps will be decreasing into nano time units, flashes so quick it will appear we are in multi dimensions at the same time. And…our consciences may be torn asunder by the experience."

"More cheerful news." the Guardsbot shook his head. He distracted himself by looking at their surroundings.

It was a dark, cold night in the middle of a barren wasteland. Dry soil void of vegetation, animals and human marks. Close by was the entrance to a cave.

"Law of probability, we're in another alternate Nevada." Riku said, unknowingly sharing an opinion with everyone else, barring the mammal he carried.

"I hear something." Smoke made a gesture for everyone to quiet down. "There's someone in that cave...Familiar voices."

"Maybe it's the 'Bots of this Universe."

"Maybe. Stay close." Smokescreen again went into 'quiet but lethal' mode. It was called 'quiet and lethal' because the only other option was 'silent but deadly'. And that, as Arcee had once learnt from Miko and Bulkhead, had an ambiguous significance to humans.

They entered the wide cave, large enough for a 'Bot to walk around with plenty of room to spare. There was a dim light coming from the tunnel that only got brighter as they followed. Soon enough, the familiar voices Smokescreen picked up became more distinct for all their ears.

"This is so weird. It's like I'm guzzling food straight into my stomach." said a female Cybertronian voice. This one Smoke had never heard.

But the next one made his energon run cold. It was a deep, raspy voice that every Cybertronian had learnt to fear.

"You're not missing anything big. Tastes like chicken...with pickles. I hate pickles."

Megatron!

Smokescreen retreated after peaking around the wall and seeing the Lord of the Decepticons with his two nearly-as-feared lieutenants, Shockwave and Soundwave.

"_We're scrapped!"_ he mentally shouted and hastily gestured for the crew to follow him out of the cave. Thank Primus they successfully did it without alerting the 'Cons.

"Okay, we're putting as many miles from those 'Cons until the next jump pulls us out of here." Smokescreen transformed and opened his doors.

"Cool your engines, Smoke. Didn't you see what those 'Cons were doing?"

"Yeah, they were not seeing us, which I'm intent to keep that way. Now get in!"

"They were sitting around a campfire, doing small talk while they fueled up. Does that sound like Buckethead's, or any other Con's, character to you?"

Pause.

Scope spoke up. "I noticed as much, indeed. But I must agree with Guardsbot Smokescreen. The local Decepticons may show this carefree demeanour, but that does not invalidate the possibility that they are just as hostile as the Decepticons from our dimension."

"The only thing worse than a 'Con we know, is a 'Con we don't know. Let's…"

No need for them to drive away from the alternate 'Cons as the zap occurred and they were blasted away, leaving only a thin layer of scorched dirt where they used to be.

Less than a minute later, Soundwave exited the cave to look out for any interlopers. In reality, the spymaster was listening to a song by Slash Monkey.

Also, this Soundwave was truly Miko Nakadai in the Decepticon's body.

* * *

Now on a list of the different dimensions.

**Earth-HoS **(Universe **II**): the transformers comic collection 'Hearts of Steel'. Basically its the human kids existing in the 1860s in Nevada. There's Railworker!Jack and NativeAmerican!Miko.

**Earth-Teno **(Universe** IV**): is the technorganic Earth of my fanfic '**TechnoEarth**' where the Omega Lock turned the planet and all its life into a technorganic world.

**Earth-SG **(Universe** III**): a shattered glass universe (duh!) that serves as a simple prequel to my two fanfics of the mirrorverse '**Purple Beneath the Skin**' and '**Red in the Heart**'.

**Earth-TofTS **(Universe** X**): A world where Jack, Miko and Raf switched bodies with Megatron, Soundwave and Shockwave via a Iacon relic. It's my ill-finished fict, '**Turn Off the Switch**'.


	15. Chapter 15

**NOTE: On 20/4/2017, this chapter was updated to make changes in Universe I.**

**LuisJM**: Sorry, no mix. The main reason why not is because there are several aspects in Skystrikers I don't agree with. The dimension-hopping ends this chapter but it has a few surprises you'll find interesting.

**Game-Watch**: Deadpool? Now there's a good idea. Sure, why the hell not? As for the Predacons, I believe in the show, part of the reason Predacon evolved into a transformer was because of Starscream's taunting. Without that small catalyst, the Predacons remain smart animals but still animals. Though Fin is smarter than one. And without the accidental mix of Synth-En with cybernucleic acid, no discovery of cybermatter.

* * *

**15th July 2033. 20 years and 255 days AE.**

**Alps, South of Geneva. Scraplet Hives. Universe XIII.**

Arcee surveyed the destruction with a heavy Spark. When all of Geneva heard and saw the explosion on the southern mountains, most feared the 'Cons were launching an attack. But when cooler processors noticed no other explosions happened, she and the few others realized that blast came from Rafael Esquivel's fortress of solitude. Where Riku, Smokescreen, Bumblebee and Scope were.

Optimus dispatched an immediate rescue party consisting of herself, Wheeljack and Build Team. The fact that Jack and Miko went too goes without saying.

"Riku!" she heard Jack calling out.

The smoldering tower had its top blown off and rubble lying on the ground. Build Team began to meticulous digging through the rubble. Meanwhile the others looked around in case the victims were (hopefully) not buried beneath.

"Why did we let him go? I knew this would happen! Why did we let him?" Miko was on the verge of tears. But also of unloading her anger on Jack, who had convinced her to allow their son to visit his deranged uncle.

"Miko…" Jack began.

"Don't you 'Miko' me. I told you that mad man was a menace!" she snarled, angry tears streaming down. "Look around! Look what happened to our son!"

"Miko!" Jack grabbed her shoulder tightly but not too much. "Miko, please don't say those things. Riku is obnoxiously smart and resourceful. He's got Bee and Smoke protecting him."

"We've found someone!" Wedge announced. In the blink of an eye, everyone had gathered around. Arcee had to wonder how could Jack and Miko run so fast? "It's Bumblebee!"

The yellow lieutenant was dented, dusty and in stasis. The large Longarm carefully picked up the smaller 'Bot. "He seems alright but we better get him back to Geneva, on the double."

Suddenly, Bee flickered out of stasis. "Raf…"

"Save your strength, kid." Wheeljack advised.

"Time…groundbridge…danger…Riku" And he passed out again. A foreboding vice filled the rescuers, especially the parents.

A barrage of shrieks, growls and other savage sounds showered on their hearing. All around them, the scraplet hives were gorging out swarms of all classes of scraplets. It was a dreadful sight to see, like something out of a horror movie about bugs that devour people. Thankfully, the bugs ignored the Autobots and took flight away from there.

"They're going southeast." Wheeljack observed.

"Better radio Optimus. Just one more crisis to add the list." Arcee groaned.

* * *

**8 billion years AD.**

**Unknown planet. Universe XIII.**

Smokescreen's frustration was off the charts.

"Okay, let me get this straight," if Smokescreen had a nose, he would pinch the brink in human classic display of exasperation. "After a series of quick jumps on different Earths, we just got blast to this weird alien jungle and now you're saying _we're stuck here_?"

"I don't understand it myself but somehow the growing transwarp energy in our bodies completely depleted once we entered this alternate Earth." Scope gave a look around. "If this even is an Earth."

"It looks…just weird." Riku commented, the golden retriever in his arms whined softly.

A first, a distracted look at their surroundings would label it a jungle. But a closer observation said it was much more. There was wilderness of nature, sure. Yet everything seemed bizarrely organized. For instance, the towering, thick trees did not sprouted out of the ground on random spots; instead they were in a pattern, each a large enough distance from the others around.

Upon closer inspection, the trees were not simply wood with lichens growing on them. Riku touched the base of a trunk to feel something he had touched and seen all his life.

"Metal. Guys, these trees have metal on them." Indeed the trunks had strings of metal semi-buried in them. As if the metal made part of the life forms. These trees also carried other metal parts, such as the tubercles that were sparsely scattered on the trunks. Each tubercle emitted a blinking light of a different color. Amusingly, the trees had blinking pimples.

"Look at these; they look like your energon veins, Smoke." Riku threw a glance at the blue, glowing straight lines on several spots of his partner's body. The energon veins of a Cybertronian ran mostly beneath the armor, but surfaced on a few places. The trunks bore some of those lines, but with a white, sparkling liquid.

"Must be some kind of sap." Riku supposed.

The rest of the area was just the same, plants all bearing metal parts. Stalks with metalized strings, leaves with veins of silver. Even flowers bore metal appendages. In several of these metal parts, the plants emitted blinking lights.

"Watch the ground." Scope pointed to a red carpet of roots going all over the soil in every direction. It reminded Riku of something he had seen on a movie – he believed it was called 'War of the Worlds' – that his parents found. The red roots seemed to be transporting liquid in every direction, like actual veins.

"This is getting weirder by the klik." Smokescreen carelessly touched one of the tubercles on the trees. It suddenly blossomed like a flower and actually took flight! The metal flower moved in the air like a jellyfish and chirped like a bird.

"That was even weirder." Riku said. The retriever moved his head and Riku looked down, wondering. "You think this is a technorganic jungle. Like that alternate Earth with the white oceans and technorganic humans?"

"Possibly. Since it's doubtful we will be transported out of this planet any time soon, I advise a collection of intel would be our best course to access the situation." Scope approached the trunk of a stocky, purple tree. This one was the only of its kind around, corralled by the orderly taller trees.

"Careful. We don't know what these things can do." Smokescreen cautioned.

"Trees on Earth have been known to be non-sentient lifeforms that stand at the bottom of the food…"

Without courtesy of giving a warning, the purple tree trunk moved and split open, revealing a mouthful of teeth going for the minicon! A well placed energon shot from Elite Guardsbot made the tree shrink back and saved Scope's spark.

"Scrap! The tree almost ate you." Riku glared in total shock.

"Uh...well, it seems plantlife sits at the top of the food chain here, while animal life occupies the bottom." Scope shakily rolled back to the party, earning a glare from Riku.

"Is that supposed to be good for me and Girudo?"

"Girudo?"

Riku indicated the dog "He needs a name. No way I'll keep calling him 'dog'. 'Girudo' is japanese for 'gild', 'cause he's a golden retriever."

Smokescreen looked around for more potential threats and a safer location. The vastness of trees covered any sight of the end of the jungle. "We should move to less exposed terrain. If only I could climb up these trees, I could get a clear view. Wish I had brought my grappling-hook." He lamented. The trees were indeed tall but lacked lateral branches, save at the top.

"Maybe we should walk out of here." Riku said. "Not enough room for driving."

"Alright, but I'll carry you. No way I'm gonna let you touch anything hungry." Smokescreen put the boy and minicon on his broad shoulders and walked.

On the walk, Riku was fascinated with more of the plant life. There was a bush arranged like a closed rose that blossomed giant petals, working as solar panels. Or a creeper with flowers resembling honeycombs, and from each comb crawled out a hand-sized spider with white optics and the nodes of the legs clothed in metal.

"Check that out!" Riku pointed to another animal similar to a lemur walking on all fours with a turned up tail. The tip of the tail was clothed in a metal sting. From the spinal column grew thin metal plates. "You think things were this awesome on that other technorganic Earth?"

"I am not certain if this environment is truly technorganic. So far there has only been evidence of it being cyberorganic."

"Cyberorganic? Technorganic? What's the diffe…" Riku halted his own question when the lemur stopped by a weeping-willow-look-alike with downward vines. The vines moved by themselves and once they touched the dorsal plates, they grew roots on them. In turn, the lemur interfaced with the tree by penetrating an entrance terminal on the trunk with the tail sting.

"Uh, what's going on?" Riku asked awkwardly.

"Scanning." Scope's optics widened. "By the Primes! My hypothesis wasn't even remotely accurate."

"What is it?"

"The lemur and the tree are making an energy exchange of sorts. You are remembered of that tubercle that hovered away when Smokescreen touched it? Those were independent creatures, not parts of the tree. In this jungle, there appears to be a robust symbiosis between all creatures, like the jungle itself is a living organism and the creatures that dwell in it are its components!"

"Hold on your Predacons!" Smoke interjected. "You saying this jungle is _aware_ and _watching us_?"

"That I can't say for certain, but all indicates the jungle is at least alive. Whether it's aware of itself or us, I haven't a clue. Not with so little data."

"Guys, I'm no medic but," Riku paused, trying to give voice to a thought. "if the jungle is alive, and we don't belong here, could it think we're some kind of intruder or virus?"

"If it did, by this point we would be counteracted by now." Scope replied.

"Or maybe it's taking its sweet time figuring out a way to dissolve us." Smoke clenched his dental.

"Either way, I have to collect more data to formulate a proper thesis. Perceptor would want me to gather as much information as possible." Scope rolled off Smoke's shoulder but was grabbed by the Autobots hand before he could touch the ground.

"I don't think so. We keep walking, or the jungle catches us for supper."

"Your concerns are logical, but without proper analyses of the environment, we'll have no better understanding of our situation. I believe that is a risk you have to take."

"I vote for Scope. We stay and scan." Riku put in. "And Girudo votes for Scope, too. That's three against one, Smoke. So sorry."

Smokescreen halted. His next words came out tense, like sneezes of a pressure cooker.

"Riku, I'm trying to keep us alive. Putting yourself in harm's way kinda goes against that goal."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riku's carefreeness disappeared. He glared daggers at the giant.

"Means that you keep getting your neck in tight scraps that could get you away from me and killed."

"Name one."

"Joining the rail workers, whom we knew nothing about. How about more? Goofing off on San Francisco when I insisted to stick together. Disobeying me back on the evil 'Bots Earth after I ordered you to stay put." with every moment, Smoke's face hardened at the charge on his shoulder.

"That's what bitting your tailpipe? Me not doing as you say. Last I checked, we're partners."

"Yeah, we are partners. But we're not equals. You're a liability. Optimus put me in charge of protecting you. That means, you back off when I say there's danger."

The tirade was ended by a shout from the minicon: "By Alpha Trion's bear!"

Autobot and human broke off their death glaring war and turned to Scope, whom has slipped off Smokescreen's servo and hooked himself up to the technorganic willow. How had a minicon with wheels for legs managed to untangle himself from a bigger Autobot's fingers without alerting said Autobot would forever be a mystery.

"Scope! For the love of scrap! Now, you're not listening to me, too!"

"T-this goes beyond anything in my historical files." The minicon sputtered to himself, ignoring the higher rank 'bot.

"What is it?" Riku half-demanded, half-pleaded. In part he hoped using the minicon's actions to divert the exchange he had with Smoke. It would be a lie to think his partner's last retort hadn't hit him.

"What is it?"

"This is far more extraordinary." The lab assistant turned to them, optics wide in disbelief and wonder. "When I made a deep scan on the two specimens," he indicated the willow and the lemur. "I also got a look at their cellular structure. Both have animals and plant cells. In other words, the animal is part plant and the plant is part animal."

"We had kinda deduced half of that, though." Riku tapped his chin. "So everything here is part technological, part plant, part animal."

"Yes, but at a deeper level than I believed. You see," Scope paused. "I had previously thought this jungle was cyberorganic, but now I see that is not the case. The flora and fauna don't just have metal organs and components into their biology.

"At cellular level, the technological and the organic are melded together. The cells have organelles made of technological micro-components. This isn't a cyberorganic environment. It's a technorganic jungle!"

"Y'know, you never told me the difference between those two. I always thought they were the same thing." Riku recalled the unanswered question he proposed earlier.

"In laybot's terms, yes. But the former is much simpler than the later. A Cybertronian expert on organics could easily create a cyberorganic being, usually by perfecting the organic's flaws with cybertronian implants. I believe humans had a term for that, 'android' I think.

"If a natural human were to replace some of their organ with technological replacements and implants, that human would be classified as 'cyberorganic', or 'cyborg' for short. Basically, a cyberorganic is a being with organic and technological parts in his biology. While melded, the organic remained organic and the technological remained technological. They work together but never mix.

"Technorganics is a science never before achieved by our race. It consists of merging the technological and organic to a level you can no longer differentiate one from the other: by merging them at cellular level. Which is what happens in this jungle." Scope spread his arms.

"As I said, the organic cells have nano-tech inserted as part of them. And some technological structures have organic molecules and processes within."

"So this jungle is like, a complete mix of organic and technology. Cool!" Riku grinned but Scope seemed trouble. "What's the matter? This stuff is also sciency, so why the long face?"

"It's just that…the best minds of Crystal City have barely scratched the surface of the technorganic science. Many didn't even think it was necessary, deeming the joining with organic matter to be degrading. Nonetheless, it's an unbelievably advanced science. Which means, whoever created this jungle is an extremely old and advanced race." Scope eyed them dead serious. "Older and more advanced by far than ours."

The jungle grew more ominous.

Smokescreen placed Scope back on his shoulder and carried on his escape with guns blazing. If the Autobot had been tense before, he was stiff now, judging by his movements.

"Smoke, quit it. There's nothing here that is trying to eat us."

"Of course you'd say that. You're just like your mother, always jumping in to explore a deathtrap even if it gets you and other killed." Smoke kept his optics on the lookout for danger but his words cut through Riku.

Something began to tremble in his arms and he looked down to see someone who had been ignored for some time.

"Guys, Girudo having a convulsion!"

Again, the Autobot halted his walk and turned his shocked expression to his partner. He carefully put Riku down and Scope approached them.

"Allow me…"

Girudo had a particular sudden jerk and vomited the same white energon they had seen on Earth-Teno. Then he moved no more.

"Scope, do something! Fix him!"

"I…" the minicon had just completed the scan and his face fell. "I'm sorry. There's no helping him now."

* * *

**At night.**

"It is astonishing to look at. The jungle shines like Crystal City."

Following sunset – there never was any sun they could detect, just natural light –, the unending jungle became more aweing than ominous. Every nerve and vein of the vegetation glowed in different colors. Even the animals' muscles and eyes glowed. Provided all the necessary illumination to guard against the dark completely redundant.

Back on living Cybertron, the cities also glowed at night, but only in the hue of regular energon. Scope and Smokescreen recalled the night when the crevices of their homeworld shone light blue of energon running in the planet's veins. The cyberformed Earth didn't have that property, though.

Smokescreen would have agreed with the minicon, but currently his focus was on his young partner. The lonesome boy was a statue sitting against a tree.

"Riku continues depressed over Girudo." Scope was not inquiring. It was plain to see, even for one who had so little understanding over human emotional behavior.

"I think it's worse than depression, Scope. I'm not insensitive, but he should be over it by now. I mean, it's not like he had much time to bond with the dog."

Girudo had died from internal bleeding. The loss was... regrettable, but not all that painful. In the end, they had just met the poor animal. Any logical mind would have felt little to no emotional attachment to the creature.

Smoke sighed and approached his partner. "Riku, how are you kicking, partner? You've been in this funk since the, uh...funeral."

Riku had demanded they stood to burry Girudo, as his parents taught him humans used to do to their dead. The boy insisted on digging the hole himself, an short endeavour given the size of the deceased. The technorganic jungle accepted Girudo, for when the grave was closed, golden flowers instantly sprouted from the pile.

"_I'm sorry, Girudo_." that was all Riku had said before the trio continued on their journey.

"Smoke, I don't feel like talking."

"Yeah, but I see you need to."

"I thought your job prescription was just to make sure I'm safe."

Smokescreen's mentally flinched. "I'm your partner and your friend. I'm sorry I treated you like…"

"...a dead-weight?"

Smokescreen spoke with steely assertiveness. "No. You were never a dead-weight. You can sometimes be a major pain in the tailpipe, but that's just you. You never let me down."

"I let Girudo down." Riku lowered his head. He was finally ready to spill out what was eating him and Smokescreen didn't want to cut the moment short.

"When I saw the other Earth filled with other humans, I felt weird. Like something telling me I belonged there. I don't know to explain...I looked how friends and family got along. It hit me that's something I'll never have. Friends who are like me. It made me feel welcomed."

"Riku…"

"I know you, Arcee, Bee and Wheeljack are friends, but those humans made me feel a different kinship." he looked up to his partner. "Is it stupid to feel something I can't even describe?"

"No, it's not stupid at all."

"Were the humans on our Earth like those we saw?"

"Pretty much, yeah. They were weird in a way. Like, why making vehicles that go up to 100 if they also make speed limits? But they were good people."

"And I'm the last one." the somber mood returned.

"Smoke, sorry about ditching you all those times. When I saw other humans, something just pulled at me, made me want to be part of their world. Like it pulled me to try help Girudo."

Smokescreen's smile was full of sympathy. "Don't bite off your own servo for it. I would have done even worse if I were in your place." a tired sigh was vented. "And don't ever think I'm so overprotective because you're a_ dead-weight_, which you aren't. The reason why I am is because of a stupid mistake I made.

"Stellar cycles ago, I landed on Earth when your parents were kids and humanity was still around. I was a reckless rookie, so obsessed with proving myself worthy of following Optimus, I endangered your dad's life."

"Wasn't that the time when dad taught you some prank moves?"

"Taught _me_? _I_ was the teacher on that lesson. Had I done things his way, we wouldn't have come up with half the gags we did, and certainly not the more imaginative half." Smokescreen bragged with mock indignance. Riku laughed genuinely for the first time in hours. That alone filled the Autobot's spark with soothing joy.

"I promise" Riku spoke distantly, as if talking to one not present. "I'll never forget the world that the Decepticons took away, even though I only got to see a glimpse of it."

Riku felt his partner laying a metal finger on his shoulder, comfortingly.

"Excuse me for interrupting," Scope approached them. "but I have had an idea of how to attain more information of our current whereabouts."

"You're gonna ask a tree?" Yep, the joking Riku was back.

"After a fashion, yes."

"Seriously?" Smoke quirked an eyebrow. "You're just gonna walk up to a tree and _ask_ it?"

"I used the expression 'after a fashion', mind you. I have discovered the animals interface with the plants in ways to perform exchange of energy as well as information."

"You've been watching more animals and plants plugging into each other?" for some reason, Riku felt a small chill up his spine at the image of Scope observing that kind of activity.

Then a sudden thought occurred to him. Had they plugged Girudo in, somehow, could he have...

"My point is," Scope put a stop to the boy train of thought. "since this jungle functions like a living computer system, perhaps I can plug myself in and acquire more data on where and when we are."

"Plug yourself to something that is half-organic?" Smokescreen was dubious.

"In your more lax vocabulary, I have the tech potential to do it."

"What if the tree downloads a virus into you? Even with all the firewalls in the world, they could make you go nutbolts. You said it yourself; whoever made this is an advanced race." Smokescreen said grimly which reflected on Scope's face.

"I am aware this attempt could be nefarious for myself, but I have programmed my processor to go into deep stasis should a viral attack be made against me.

"If giving us a chance to return to our Autobots requires myself to take a great risk, I will do it. All of my programmed existence I lived to serve away from battle, while courageous Autobots have risked their Sparks for the greater good. I may be a minicon, but I am also an Autobot."

Smokescreen had to smile at that. The minicon's conviction wasn't so different from his own when he was a protoform. "You're a bigger 'Bot I gave you credit for."

"You go, Scope." Riku cheered.

"Ah, so you actually remember my name!" he pointed an accusatory finger.

"No worries, I won't call you 'Fixit' again. Human's honor."

Scope rolled up to the nearest tree where the ports were visible on the base between the roots and the trunk. His oval arm opened up and an appendage plugged into the port.

When contact was made, the port emitted a violent burst of sparks and Scope was blown away, only for Smoke to catch him.

"Ouch! I won't recommend that."

"You gave it your best shot, little guy."

"The system knew I was trying to enter even before I made contact. It reinforces my thesis that the jungle truly is aware and watching us. I am sorry, there's nothing I can do." Riku wasn't listening to Scope's lament. Instead, his whole focus was on the tree. Its mesmerising yellow glowing trunk was smooth to Riku's touch.

"Guys, I think I can do it."

"How? You don't even have a way to interface." Scope objected but then assumed a thoughtful look, which turned to horror for a klik. Said thought was instantly dropped and the 'Bot swore to Primus it would never be spoken off until his offlining day.

"I may have another way. Call it a gut feeling." he felt a vine of the plant reaching for the hand laid on the trunk. Somehow, he could _feel_ the tree accepted him.

He took the yellow glowing vine and acting on instinct, brought it to the nape of his neck. The tip of the vine extended a sting of metal and sunk it into the boy's nape.

The pain Riku felt lasted less than a microsecond.

"Riku, you okay?" Smoke's worry was palpable. He was ready to pull his partner out and burn the tree.

"I can hear them." The boy sighed in a distant voice, his lowered gaze nailed to the tree. "The tree is talking to me.

"I can hear them all. Scope was right; the whole jungle is connected. They know us, they brought us here.

"The jungle, the entire planet, is singing. And I'm being brought into the choir."

The minicon and Elite Guardsbot shared a look. To their horror, the boy started to levitate and turned around to the meet them. His eyes glowed white!

"Zh duh rqh." He sang in a echoing voice

The floating Riku pressed himself against the trunk and was engulfed by it.

"RIKU!" Smokescreen was too late to reach him and his partner disappeared into the tree.

"Scrap!" he punched the tree in a fury. Not even dent resulted on the trunk.

"Smokescreen, Riku is still alive. I have his location pinpointed. He's being taken on that direction."

Without warning, Smokescreen grabbed Scope and transformed. He sped through the jungle, not caring for the plants he ran over or the dents he got hitting trees. All that mattered was getting his partner back.

"Smokescreen stop!" Scope's warning came just in time before Smoke plunged into a cliff. "Look!"

The cliff was the edge of a perfect hexagon shaped deep crater. And within the crater was a city.

* * *

**8 billion years AD.**

**City, Techno-Jungle planet. Universe XIII.**

The first thing Riku felt was the cold liquid embracing his whole body. Yet he didn't feel cold at all. Or hot, for that matter. He opened his eyes and saw he was totally submerged in transparent, semi-gelatinous liquid. He wasn't drowning, though he did feel drowsy.

A small pinch in his nape brought his hand up to prod it. He felt a hardy cable plugged to his nape.

There was a song chiming in his brain, of harmony and collectiveness. It didn't sing in words or proper sounds, though.

Riku pushed a hand forward to feel a soft, elastic but unbreakable material sealing him and the liquid like a bubble. He could faintly see the outside.

Two silhouettes of identical shape and dimension faced him outside his prison. Tall and slender bodies, with round but small heads. The arms split into several slim, tentacle-like appendages. Over their shoulders were wide structures resembling wings.

Riku squinted at the odd things. What were they? Why did he felt they were important?

His brain shut down. The last thing he saw was another bubble prison next to his.

Like the jungle, the city was technorganic. A splendor in the night, with more varied hues of light on each infrastructure. The buildings were not of human or Cybertronian design. Some appeared to be shaped after plants and others inspired by organelles of organic cells.

Smokescreen only let himself be mesmerized for one second. The compulsion to find Riku took priority.

"Scope, where is he now?"

"Smokescreen, we may have bigger problems than rescuing Riku." The minicon pointed up. Above them descended a floating thing like they had never seen.

The thing, possible a being, was assumed to be entire or mostly organic, judging by its slender body and lack of metal components. It was somewhat anthropomorphic with a torso, head and upper limbs. Below what could be considered a waist, it had no legs. Instead, the body ended in a pointy, thick structure that floated off the ground like the bottom end of a banana.

The creature reached Smokescreen's waist. The arms were stubby; long tentacles extended from the stubs and served as elongated fingers. A pair of wings extended from the back, giving the creature an angelic appearance. Two tick and pointy antennae protuberant from the top of the head. The face was completely featureless.

Its skin was of a creamy white that glowed in the night, except for two long lines of blue that ran from the antennae, down the chest, and ended on the bottom tip.

Smokescreen wasn't one to shoot first and ask questions later, on normal situations. But having your partner abducted by a living technorganic jungle was not a normal situation. Arm transformed into a blaster, aim taken and threat given:

"Back off!"

The being's response was quicker than he could shoot. The tentacle fingers extended and snared around Smokescreen's limbs, pulling the blasters out of aim. The Autobot tried his hardest to break free, but the thin tentacles were surprisingly restraining. To his horror, one of the appendages penetrated his armor through the nape of the neck and hacked into his systems and he instantly saw warning signs.

_Partial stasis lock commencing_

_Weapons systems offline…_

_T-Cog offline…_

_Mechanical Systems Offline._

_Stasis lock completed._

Smokescreen couldn't believe what just happened. With but one touch, the creature had shut down his guns, prevented him from transforming, moving or even. As if he had been on the receiving end of the Immobilizer.

With his mouth plates uncooperative, Smoke had to resort to his internal comm system. This one was used to type messages rather than verbal ones. Hopefully hadn't been shut down, too.

::_Scope, you okay?_::

::_Unharmed, but in the same predicament as you. I cannot move._::

Smoke had to mentally sigh at the minicon's tendency to explain it in too many words. One of the points of internal comms was to make short messages.

Smoke's optics didn't obey him, but out of the corner he could they were being suspended and moved in midair by a strange blue glow. A glow that originated in between the creature's antennae.

::_It appears we have encountered the native dominant species on this planet. These aliens appear to possess both technorganic technology and telekinetic abilities._:: Scope observed.

::_You mean like that Processor-Over-Matter that martial artists had back on Cybertron?_::

::_Indeed._::

The ground of the city became ever more distant as they were being taken up to what looked like an island flying casually above the metropolis.

The sky-island had the same infrastructure as the city, like a piece of it had been torn out and put floating above. Though, the building up there were smaller and less in number, leaving plenty of space for a plaza on the center.

::_Smokescreen, look!_::

The plaza had two other Techno-Angel aliens and between them stood an unrestrained small, bipedal organic.

"Riku!" the fact that Smokescreen's voicebox and all other functions had been restored passed unnoticed by him. When his captor put him down, the Autobot ran towards the boy, only to halt when he saw Riku's eyes glowing white. "Riku, you okay?"

"I'm fine, Smoke. I've never been better."

"What did they do to you?"

"The aliens linked me to the jungle; a sentient supercomputer the size of a continent that oversees the natural equilibrium of this planet. They taught me a bunch of big words and a lot more."

"You mean, these aliens?" Scope pointed to the creature standing by his left. That one had red lines.

"They were the ones responsible for our dimension-jumps. When Uncle Raf's time-tunnel exploded, we should have landed in one alternate dimension and stayed there. But the aliens, who had been keeping an eye for extra-dimensional distortions, spotted us crossing over to Earth-Pangea and bombarded our bodies with transwarp energy to keep us jumping closer and closer to them. Once we got here, they locked the door."

"So they basically abducted us?" Smoke accused, itching to turn his hands back into blasters.

"Because we're meant to be here. To learn and act on the past." The ground beneath them shifted and swallowed the three instantly and leaving the Techno-Angels above. Smoke and Scope didn't have time to panic. Riku went in completely impassive.

They were transported to the bowels of the island, a dark seemingly infinite chamber with scores of glowing white orbs flying around like fireflies. Before the Cybertronians could ask for an explanation, Riku extended his hand and an orb floated to meet it.

"This floating island is a laboratory the aliens use to study alternate timelines. To learn how differently existence could have been. Some realities are better, others similar, and some are far worse. This one, for instances…" Riku showed them the orb and the space around them changed completely.

* * *

**900 million years BC.**

**Outer space, Milky Way. Universe XII (aka Universe-Cybercron).**

They found themselves in space, floating aimlessly.

"This is 900 million years before our age, at what would otherwise be the dawn of the Cybertronian civilization."

"Would be?" Scope asked.

"When the Big Bang happened, there was but one Universe, growing like a branchless tree. But once life came to it, it also came the concept of choice. One choice can go various ways and when a choice is presented before a sentient being, the Universe splits.

"The top of the tree splits into branches, each branch is the Universe where a choice was made. Now imagine trillions of sentient beings who have lived and will live, making trillions of choices during their lifespans.

"The result: infinite possibilities."

"Right." Smokescreen said. "So what's different about this Universe?"

Riku pointed to something over their shoulders and Smoke and Scope came to see a horrid sight. Cybertron was moving in the distance, even several million miles of distance it was quite big. It looked different, though, bearing a ring orbiting from pole to pole. Bizarrely, Cybertron also had two curved horns on the equator, surrounding what looked like a mouth.

And the mouth began to devour a nearby planet called Lithone, killing its population by the billions.

"Primus! What is _that_?!"

"Primus has gone bye-bye. That is Cybercron.

"In this Universe, Primus choose not to create the Primes, believing he could defeat Unicron by himself. Instead, the Chaos Bringer destroyed him and subsequently merged with the core of the metal planet, thus creating Cybercron, the Death World. A monster that travels all over this Universe and destroy all life in it."

"Slag it, am I glad I wasn't sparked in this Universe." Smoke cringed.

"You could never have been, since Primus died." Riku added.

"Yeah, but…never mind."

Riku snapped his fingers and the scenario changed back to the firefly chamber. He let go of the orb and called a new one.

* * *

**Year 2010.**

**Geneva, Earth. Universe VII (aka Universe-AutoLords).**

They were back on a non-cyberformed, human-filled Earth, on what their Universe was the Autobot capital. However, the Autobots were revealed to this planet, for there were signs of Cybertronian touches all over. Smokescreen spotted energon detectors on the streets and several administrative and political infrastructures were branded with the Autobot insignia.

"Look at the Palace of Nations." Scope pointed.

The palace was the place that bore more signs of influence. A flag with the insignia was lined up with that of the UN and all the member countries. High doors for metal giants to walk into the building. There was even a parking lot strictly only for 'Bots.

But the greatest mark was a metal statue of Ultra Magnus holding an Earth on his servo, in place where the armillary sphere should be. The statue had the inscriptions:

'_Justice. Law. Order.'_

"What's this, some wacko dimension where the Autobots are conquerors?"

"Yep." Riku's answer was deadpanned. "In this Universe, the Autobots won the war before Cybertron died, but Optimus Prime was assassinated by a rogue Decepticon in the aftermath. And without the wisdom of last Prime to lead his victorious followers into uniting the fractured Cybertronian civilization, they have travelled down a different path."

"Don't tell me we became Decepticons." Smokescreen almost pleaded.

"Yeah and no." Riku answered cryptically, though still with his speech mannerisms. "Optimus' dying words were for his Autobots never to allow their race to fall into darkness again. The Autobots rebuilt Cybertron in what they believed to be Optimus' vision; a free world where anyone can choose their own path to follow and for a time there was peace and balance.

"But as time passed, some disgruntled Decepticons began to rise up again and the Autobots had to use force to silence them. As more and more small rebellions followed, they began to believe freedom leads to anarchy. That for peace to be lasting, it has to be enforced. Thus they turned the Cybertronian Commonwealth into the Autobot Autocracy, a totalitarian regime where the most trusted of Optimus' lieutenants rule – the AutoLords."

"No way! That…that can't be!" Smoke stammered. "Optimus fought Megatron to abolish all forms of tyranny, both the caste system and the 'Cons. Even if he's gone, Magnus would never go with this! He…_we_ just wanted to make things better."

"The aliens tell me once a wise human said 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'." Riku sighed.

"One thing escapes my comprehension, though. If the War for Cybertron was won before a Great Exodus happened, how have we contacted the humans?" Scope asked.

"With the AutoLords applying iron laws to maintain the order on Cybertron, they ushered an era of peace, cutting crime and corruption almost down to nothing. In time they decided they should spread their peace to the rest of the Universe. AutoLord Jazz voiced the isolationist ways of the old guard were what drove Cybertron into corruption. Hence they began to contact other alien races and force their Autocracy onto them. Eventually they found Earth."

"Did we…" Smoke didn't know what he was more afraid of: to speak the question or to ear the answer.

"No, your counterparts did not slaughtered humanity into obedience." Riku assured him. "The tyranny of the AutoLords is cold and merciful, but still a tyranny. They forced all of Earth's governments to adopt their nigh-draconian laws at gun point. Though Earth's governments have also become totalitarian, they're all beneath the AutoLords."

"This is a nightmare."

"It's not as horrifying as that. The protectorate races of the Autocracy are peaceful and protected from aggressive invaders. On Earth, crime is virtually nonexistent and wars have ceased completely. The system does create long-lasting peace."

"Yeah, the peace of the gun." Smoke spat.

Beneath them, there was activity between the human who could not see, feel or hear the off-dimensioners.

"Five euros for a coffee! This is a robbery!" a furious man snarled at a waiter on a esplanade.

"Sir, I advised you our coffee was expensive, we have the finest mark in the continent." The waiter respectfully refuted.

"And I _advise_ you to give my money back!"

The argument escalated no further when a police car stopped by and an officer interjected. All the anger the customer had seemed to evaporate when he saw the symbol on the car and the man's badge. Curiously, the emblem was a police shield with an Autobot mark on the center.

"Mister, we have to ask you to come with us." the officer addressed the customer coolly. The previously indignant man sputtered:

"I-I was just going for…"

"Mister, come with me so I can verify the situation. This does not has to turn ugly."

"No." the civilian refused. The police car transformed into an Autobot with the Elite Guard brand. It was the native Smokescreen!

"For refusal to obey a law-enforcement officer, you are under arrest and sentenced to a course in Krojrik."

"No, please. Not Krojrik!" the man's plea fell on deaf ears. He was stunned and handcuffed without preambles. The local Smokescreen picked him up and transformed, strapping the outcold detainee on the backseat. The authoritarian policemen entered Smokescreen and they departed.

The passersby and other customers either ignored the event or pretended to.

"_Me_? No way, I would never." If Smokescreen were human he would feel like vomiting. He had briefly seen his evil-twin on the crazy Earth where Autobots and Decepticons exchanged roles. At that time he thought nothing else could surprise him, but that was only after seeing an evil Optimus and a righteous Megatron.

Now he witnessed a version of himself doing bad stuff, believing he was doing _good_. The self-loathing and disgust was almost unbearable. Primus, what would Optimus think of them all?

Scope attempted to comfort the larger 'Bot and changed the subject by asking Riku:

"What is Krojrik?"

"A house of correction on this world's Europe. Every protectorate planet of the Autocracy has them to send the troublemakers and brainwash them, rectify them to become respectful citizens of their races, again. They are part asylums, part concentration camps judging by their methods."

"Stop!" the 'Bot bellowed. "Say no more! Why showing us this kind of stuff?"

"Call it a lesson in morality, Smoke. The aliens say the history of many races, humanity's in particular, is full with individuals and causes who used good intentions to make heinous acts."

* * *

**Year 2227.**

**Universe I (aka Universe-HumanEmpire).**

Again Smoke and Scope were in space, though a more turbulent scenario. It was a battle of two alien fleets over a living planet. One of the fleets was of saucers and they had the planet to their backs, probably the native forces. The enemy fleet were gray, bulky, unlovely ships, no doubt invaders.

"Okay, what's the point of this one? I don't know any of these ships."

"This is a battle waged between humanity and an alien race they branded enemy. Humans here fight for their future."

"Humans?" Smoke glared at the planet. It was green and blue but was no Earth; water covered less than half the surface. "Oh, this is another one of those different looking Earths, right?"

"That is not Earth, Smokescreen. Why don't you take a look at the invading ships?"

Puzzled, he did as was told but it was Scope whom, with a great shock, noticed: "By the AllSpark, those gray ships have human symbols and characters! The alien invaders are _human_!"

"Quite so. In this Universe, Earth was never cyberformed since Optimus destroyed the Omega Lock in time. The 'Cons rebuilt it and tried again, but failed. Megatron perished, Cybertron was restored and the Autobots won the war and went back home to rebuild their world and civilization. Relations with Earth were practically cut off.

"By the year 2110, Earth was invaded by an alien race – the Quintessons. Following 55 years of slavery and violence, the humans managed to kick out the invaders, but their planet was left bleak, barren, almost dead."

The scene changed to an Earth that looked much less green and more brownish. The Amazonian rainforest was complete gone. The icecaps virtually vanished and the clouds looked black and grim. It wasn't dead, but it was dying.

"The humans lost a great amount of their culture and over 3 billion of their population. They took over the technology left behind by the invaders and began to travel the stars with a great mistrust of robotic species."

"So this is a war of payback?" Smoke asked when they returned to the space battle. The human ships were winning through military expertise.

"No, _this_ is a war of necessity. With a dying planet and most thriving world around them already occupied, humanity went on to take those resource rich planets to survive. Therefore they launched a war of aggression and conquest against the peaceful alien races neighboring them."

"Why? What did these other races did to them?"

"Nothing. They simply had something the humans wanted."

The way Smokescreen saw it, _none_ of these aliens were a threat to the humans.

The battle changed to flashes of more conflicts, always the gray, ugly ships attacking different planets and fleets, butchering vessels attempting to surrender and raining down nukes onto cities.

The images changed from all-out battles to more close-up and personal carnage. Like blasting a ship of alien refugees out of the sky.

"_We beg you, do not fire!" _cried out the captain of the refugee ship. _"We're unharmed! We've done nothing to you! We surrender, please!_"

A squadron of human fighters flew against the ship like hawks against a large, sluggish rabbit. "_Weapons hot! Prepare to fire!_"

"_Take whatever you want, but please! We've got children on board! Don't you understand?! We have CHILDREN ON BOARD!"_

"_Fire!"_ was the unsympathetic order from the human commander.

"_WE'VE DONE NOTHING TO YOU!"_ indeed, they were nothing to the humans who reduced them to space dust.

"Most of those children were war orphans." Riku said sorrowfully.

"Primus, nothing justifies this." Smoke shook his helm with a heavy Spark. "And I thought humans were peaceful organics."

"Clearly you never studied human history." Scope observed and quoted grimly. "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

"But where were the Autobots? No way Optimus would forsake Earth and let the humans turn into these monsters."

"News travel slow to a rebuilding Cybertron. When Optimus learnt Earth had been invaded, he tried to organize a liberation force as fast as possible. When the Autobots arrived to Earth, the humans had freed themselves of the shackles and were a different species. A race of new Decepticons, they were called.

"With Cybertron not fully healed and most Cybertronians not eager for another war, Optimus was forced to stand idle while the humans built their small empire. The best he could do was sending rescue ships to bring refugees out of the line-of-fire."

"Do I even want to know what happened next?"

"Probably not, also because the future of this Universe is still somewhat blurry. Uncertain because deciding events haven't been fulfilled yet. But one thing is certain; in this timeline there will be a war between Humans and Cybertronians."

The two looked at him agape.

"The humans in general believe the Quintessons were their first alien contact, but the highest levels of the government have inherited data from all old nations, including the USA. They know of the existence of the Decepticons and what they attempted to do to Earth. That reinforced their belief that robot aliens are the enemy."

* * *

**8 billion years AD.**

**Laboratory in the Sky-Island, City. Techno-Jungle planet.**

They were back on the black space with the orbs that were alternate Universes. Smokescreen hoped there were no more horror alternate realities to see. Riku came upon him and asked:

"Do you know why the aliens told me to show the last two Universes? What did they have in common?"

"Each had either Cybertronians or Humans being bad?" he guessed.

"Wrong! When it came to the War for Cybertron, they both had good outcomes. In the Universe-AutoLords, the war was won before Cybertron died. You would deem that a good outcome, but eventually it brought about the AutoLords, which you deem bad.

"In the Universe-HumanEmpire, humanity was spared from cyberforming and your world was revived. But humanity became worse for it. Another outcome you don't like."

"You're saying that, even if things turn out as like them to, bad things could still happen because of it." Smoke guessed. "We should always keep an optic for trouble."

"Always watch out for shadows. They move when we're not looking." Riku said and noticing Smokescreen's crestfallen look, he smiled. "But don't let this give you a long face. There are many Universes where things turned out quite alright. See that one? I call it Universe-Supercharged. That Universe splintered from yours in the time Megatron coerced the Autobots to give the Omega Keys in exchange for Jack, Miko and Raf. Eventhough the 'Bots complied, Megatron let my parents and Uncle Raf breath Cybertron's atmosphere. All just to torture the 'Bots, I assume."

Riku smothered a chuckle.

"Stupid Starscream didn't even bother to learn about human respiratory system! Those toxic gases gave them super abilities and they beat up the 'Cons, saving the Earth and the Omega Lock. Aside from a bit of berserk destruction, this turned out nice enough."

"Then Earth and humanity could have been spared?" Smokescreen wasn't all that comforted with the 'nice enough' outcome, but he let it go.

"Anyways, there are all kinds of Universes where Earth and Cybertron had a multitude of different fates. All because sentient beings took different options and thus changed their Universes with those choices, whether for better or for worse."

"Riku, as fascinating as this revelation is, that and my own curiosity aside, you said the aliens brought us here because they need us to 'act on the past'. With all these realities you've shown us, it is safe to assume this current Universe is the future of our own?" Scope said.

"Not _the_ future, more like _a_ future. You're right, though. This reality is meant to spawn from our own, if the correct events play out and the exact choices are made. That's why the aliens - I just call them 'Techno-Angels' - need us, to make sure those events happen."

They were levitated upwards and the ceiling swallowed them. This time there was no surprise to be on the surface with the three Techno-Angels.

The light bathing Riku's eyes faded to show his green pupils again. The boy staggered and would have fallen if Scope hadn't caught him.

"Uh…guys, I feel like my brain was shocked." He said drowsily.

"You okay, bud?" The Autobot partner kneeled down. "Don't you remember anything?"

"Kinda…I recall the jungle singing, hearing it in my brain." The boy massaged his head. "All those other realities I showed you, feels like some kind of foggy dream."

"You gave us some lecture." Smokescreen said.

One Techno-Angel, the red lined one, approached them, extending a tentacle at Riku. The boy extended his arm to reach it and the tentacle left something in his hand. It was a flat object of pure, smooth metal with blue jewel in the center. It didn't look special to him but to his friends, it came as a shock.

"The Key to Vector Sigma!" they gasped in unison.

"What's this?"

"It's an ancient Cybertronian relic. Optimus said it was lost, possibly destroyed, with the old base when the 'Cons cyberformed Earth. I heard it imprint on your dad's genetic makeup." Smoke informed. "How did these aliens found it?"

"Beats me. I asked them tons of questions but they only answered half of those. And most answers came out in riddles and memories. I'm guessing they won't be forthcoming on this." Riku shrugged.

The same Techno-Angel reached out to him again, touching his forehead with the tentacle. It established a minor telepathic link with the boy for communication.

"They say it's time we go back home. But first someone else will join up."

Right on cue, a bark erupted and a quadruped of shining golden fur came running to the boy.

"Girudo!" Riku smiled. The golden retriever nearly knocked the boy on his back when it jumped onto him. With strong forepaws fixed on the boys chest, the technorganic dog affectionately licked the human's face.

Girudo had been completely rejuvenated. It's bulk was full and well developed. The fur healthy, growing and golden. No traces it had even been at death's door. Or beyond it.

"This is unbelievable. The dog has fully recuperated. But he was dead earlier. And this one can't be a clone, since it seems to remember you." Scope declared after scanning the dog, which Riku was petting.

"I'm taking him. We're going home." Riku looked up to his partner and grinned. "Mom and dad are gonna get a surprise."

Electricity began to fill the air around them four, as the Techno-Angels replenished their bodies with transwarp energy. In a flash, the off-dimensioners were gone from this bizarre future planet.

* * *

**15th July 2033. 20 years and 255 days AE.**

**Alps, South of Geneva. Scraplet Hives. Universe XIII.**

To say the rescue team was startled to have Riku, Smokescreen, Scope and Girudo materialize on the scene in a flash of light was a major understatement. For a moment, Miko was in total petrified shock. Arcee and Wheeljack didn't lower their weapons until they were sure their optics weren't tricking them.

"Hey, mom, dad, 'Cee and Jackie! We had three adventures and a half. Topped any birthday, any day."

Miko ran to him and didn't let go for a while, Jack joining just two seconds later.

"Alright, Smoke, you got two cycles to explain where you guys have been." Arcee demanded.

"I will tell, but maybe I should do it with Optimus around. This whole thing is still hurting my processor and I just want to tell it once."

"Fair enough." Wheeljack agreed. "But just one question first;" he pointed at Girudo. "what the scrap is that?"

"That is technorganic golden retriever, mutated by a corrupted reaction of an Omega Lock, which was added organic matter, on an alternate Universe."

"Pass that by me again when we're back at HQ."

* * *

**Palace of Nations, Geneva HQ.**

"This is unbelievably absurd!" Ratchet wrangled.

"You mean you have travelled through a collection of alternate realities and still managed to return? Granted, the existence of alternate Universes has been a possible theory for a long time and transwarp energy is deeply connected to the boundaries of reality. But still…"

"Still, everything you have disclosed agrees with Ratchet's analysis, does it not?" Optimus said that both as a reassurance for the three and a question to the medic. Before the debriefing, the medic performed scans on all of them, Riku the most thorough ones. Turned out whatever the Techno-Angels did to the boy, they perfected his health and deficiencies. His sunburn and blisters on his hands were gone.

"But, since you were the one who came most in contact with these futuristic technorganic beings, I must ask of yours, Riku." Optimus kneeled down to look the boy in the eye, showing the Key to Vector Sigma in his servo. "Have they told you how they attained the Key when I am certain it was destroyed when Outpost Omega One fell?"

"No idea, Optimus. Sorry. When I was plugged in, it felt like I knew but couldn't speak or even think about it. When they let me go, everything they didn't want me to know became a blur."

Optimus hummed. "Thank you. If destiny still has plans for the Key to Vector Sigma, I must make sure it does not fall into oblivion." He turned to everyone. "You had a tiring experience, go rest now."

Everyone was dismissed, save for Ratchet and Bumblebee whom Optimus discreetly asked to speak in private.

"Can I keep him?" Riku made his best attempt at puppy eyes, hugging Girudo close to his face for emphasis. The parents shared a look.

"Alright," Jack nodded. "but now tells us a bit about these other Earths. How many _mes_ have you met?"

"Just three, the Pangea one that looked normal and argued with Miko-not-mom like an old married couple." at this, the parents shared a look he didn't catch. "The rough-talking railworker who constantly insulted me and an evil-looking one that rolled with the evil Autobots. Also, there was a Native American mom."

Optimus, Ratchet and Bumblebee had retreated to a closed room where they were certain no one would overhear them. Optimus turned to the medic and the lieutenant with a foreboding glare.

"What is that you didn't want the others to know?" Ratchet asked.

"It concerns Rafael and the mental state he has decayed into." Optimus turned to Bumblebee, who looked downwards. Optimus pulled a tiny device from subspace. "This was salvaged from the wreckage of his fortress of solitude. It is an audio-diary. As you two were the Autobots closest to Rafael, I believe you deserve to listen to this."

Optimus pushed the button and Rafael Esquivel's adult voice spoke, though with none of madness. "_14th October 2026. Uh, I have been banished from Geneva for my irresponsibility in almost getting poor Riku killed. Dios mio, I can't believe what I had almost done." _Rafael sounded on the verge of tears._ "When I work with my scraplets, I feel like nothing else matters but the success of the experiment. But when I saw my nephew hurt, I just couldn't care…can you believe this? I just couldn't care that I nearly got my nephew dead! I can still remember the look Miko gave me and I feel nothing but shame._

"_Maybe Optimus did the right thing in expelling me from Geneva. Maybe solitude is the penitence I deserve."_

"Optimus, how can we know this audio-diary is not a forger? Ratchet was skeptical. "It feels my spark with regret saying this, but after what Rafael has done, he is no better than the abomination he commands."

Optimus was unfazed. He showed them another audio-diary: "_3rd April 2030. Dios mio, its worse than I feared! I really am going insane. My previous experiments and analysis on my helmet for controlling the scraplets has revealed that it has been causing me brain damage over the years! My episodes of dementia have been growing more extent. I have locked up the helmet and deactivated all the scraplets. I must find a way to rehabilitate my mind, before I lose what is left of my sanity!"_

"Primus." Ratchet said in total shock. Bumblebee was even more that he could not speak. Optimus sighed bitterly and played the third and last audio-diary:

"_30th January 2032. There is hope. I recall now that Ratchet told me of an old experiment to travel back in time by modifying a groundbridge. I already have one built in my tower, and if I am able to harness the transwarp energy, I can create a time-tunnel to the past. I could warn my younger self to abandon this damned research and destroy the helmet before insanity began to install._

"_But on the darker side, even though I no longer wear the helmet, my episodes of madness are getting longer and harder to control. I fear I have few months before psychosis takes me completely. With the scraplets shutdown, the work is going painfully slow. And I can't ask the Autobots for help. How could they want ot help me after what I've done?_"

* * *

**8 billion years AD**

**Techno-Jungle planet. Homeworld of the Techno-Angels.**

The Techno-Angels didn't require spaceships.

Billions of years worth of genetic manipulation of their evolution, they engineered themselves to survive solely on solar radiation and survive the deadly harshness of the void. A dozen of the aliens gathered up in orbit for their mission. They were to take a special device with them and use it on an assigned planet in the other side of the galaxy.

The asset was a large construction floating in space that glided to meet them. It consisted of a large circumference attached to a base by four legs. If the dimension-travelling Smokescreen was still in this Universe, he would have recognized its design.

The Techno-Angels opened a temporal spacebridge, a tunnel in space that allowed them to travel to some other place actually sooner than the time of departure. In other words, the aliens already knew they would arrive at the assigned destination because they had already received a message reporting their successful mission.

Into the vortex they went and travelled to the orbit of a dead, metal planet. A homeworld long abandoned after the native race departed to another plane of existence forever, after they outgrew their existence in this one. For eons the homeworld remained silent and ignored.

But now that changed.

The device, a technorganic modified Omega Lock, was activated in orbit. A beam of white struck the metal ground and turned it to fresh soil. Technorganic flora exploded and spread like a ripple in the water.

Cybertron lived again, and in a whole new color.

* * *

The technorganic jungle was a bit based on the jungles of the Avatar movie. The City was inspired by** 'The Trancendant City' **by** Richard Hardy. **And the aliens were a merge of two spectacular marine life-forms: **glaucus atlanticus** (blue sea dragon) and **clione limacina** (sea angel).

So basically, in **Universe XII** (Cybercron), the planet is Unicron's new form, based on the 1986 movie.

**Universe VII** (AutoLords), a reality where the top rank Autobots created a vast, growing empire with no crime, no war and no freedom. The AutoLords include Ultra Magnus, Jazz, Ironhide, Cliffjumper, Elita-One, Arcee and Ratchet.

**Universe I** is the canon TFPrime Universe, which I added a grim future of war to humanity, based on my 'Human Empire' trilogy. I modified it so the invaders would be the hateful Quintessons.

**Universe IX** (Supercharged) is where Cybertron's atmosphere gives humans Superman-like powers and they wreck the Decepticons. Unfortunately, it has also some bad side effects…Go read my story 'Supercharged'.


	16. Fire from the Sky

**Kaleia:** The AutoLords are nothing like the shattered glass Autobots. The Lords conquer other worlds out of a sense of duty and achieving order. The SG Autobots conquer and brutalize other worlds because it's fun and profitable.

As for the Human Empire, no not all humans are bad. When they began their genocidal rampage, several religious orders (which were a virtually extinct or outright ignored part of human culture) broke away from humanity and ventured into the stars. Also, the HE trilogy is an AU of the 'Babylon 5', where several human heroes of the series are made differently in the story. Some heroes turned villains and vice-verse. Ironically, one of the major military leaders who is conducting this genocide actually mourns for what humanity is doing and pays her respects for the destroyed races.

**HubrisP** and **Victorsmyname**: I was planning to reveal this at a later point as a small plot-point, but Unicron is as close to death as a god can get. Why? In 'Transformers: Exodus' by Alexander Irvine and 'War for Cybertron' game, the planet died because the core was infected with dark energon. If dark energon is the blood of Unicron, regular energon is the blood of Primus, then the cybermatter is the flesh of Primus. Unicron is the essence of chaos and anti-life, and he has been infused with the essence of life due to the cyberforming. In other words, like Primus 'died' when Cybertron's core was poisoned, Unicron suffered the same fate when Earth was cyberformed.

**Shadescribe: **I haven't explained it much because that would spoil the plot, if I were to write a Techno-Earth.

**InkStainedGhost**, **Juxshoa** and **Khalind**: You should probably erase the reviews to temporary chapter 16 so you may review this one. Just saying, putting these temporary chapters always has that little problem.

* * *

**2nd April 2034. 21 years and 152 days AE.**

**Geneva, Autobot capital.**

"A new record, Riku." Smokescreen stopped the chronometer when his partner raced past the finish line. They were training the boy on speed and stamina and his results surpassed the average for a fourteen-year-old.

"100 meters in 10.2 seconds. All this at the age of fourteen. With scores like these you could go to the Olympics once you reached your prime." Scope commented.

"Considering how many humans are out there I may just be the fastest human on Earth." Riku commented with a bit of dark humor, then changed the subject quickly. "How are my folk's records?"

"Your dad is 9.9 seconds and your mom is 9.7. They're still faster than you but that is due to the military training and more developed muscle mass."

"Yeah, I know. But imagine when I'm old enough to join the good fight. The 'Cons won't know what hit them."

"No doubt about that." Smoke wasn't comfortable with the idea of one day his partner joining the fight at all. But that concept seemed less and less distant, especially with the passage of the last nine months.

When the three of them, plus Girudo, returned from the techno-jungle planet, Ratchet discovered the experiments performed by the Techno-Angel - aliens of an alternate future Universe - on Riku had tune up his muscle mass and calibrated his bone structure. The boy of fourteen years old had the fitness of a twenty-five athlete.

The modifications were done by genetic manipulation, apparently. No technorganic or cyberorganic implants, probably because the Techno-Angels didn't want anyone of the past to copy their technology, Optimus deduced.

A bark announced the arrival of Girudo, the technorganic golden retriever of another alternate Universe. The technorganic dog had come from an alternate Earth where the Decepticons' take two at cyberforming Earth was botched and turned every living thing on the planet into technorganics. Girudo was gravely injured and dying when Riku and the dimension-hopping crew found him. The Techno-Angels choose to nurse him back to life and health for reasons unknown. Girudo instantly bonded with Riku.

"Hey, you crazy bolt!" Riku grinned when Girudo came to him. Every time the boy tried to pet or grab him, the retriever would just turn tail and ran around him, goading the human to chase. "You wanna a race, uh? Challenged accepted!"

The genetically enhanced human took off after the technorganic retriever. They made their race on the stripe of green grass that surrounded Lake Geneva. Each one surpassing the other, time and again, only to soon be overtaken. When Riku gained the upperhand and held onto to it, and Girudo was left behind, it seemed the boy would be the victor. Until Girudo showed his uncanny intelligence and cheated by leaping onto the boy's back and knocking him down.

Girudo tackled and began licking the boy's face, until he turned the tables and tackled the dog down. What followed was a playful wrestling match.

"It's strange to see Riku acting like this. Stranger still that he had made zero attempts to sneak out of the capital, this week." Scope noted.

"It helps when you have a tireless technorganic dog to help you burn the excess of energy." Smokescreen had noted his partner had become more playful and physically active since Girudo entered his life. It brought polarizing feelings to the Autobot partner. On one servo, he rejoiced that Riku found a companion that would stick with him, always. On the other servo, he felt like a third wheel, seeing as Girudo was much closer to Riku than he was.

"Smoke, you good for a race?" he looked to see Riku and Girudo had broken off their mock-fight. "Think you can take us, both?" Smokescreen was tempted to answer affirmatively. His vehicular form could go up to miles-per-hour; it would be impossible for the 'Bot not to win.

"Not this time, pal. Optimus wants me back at HQ for a mission. Things are gearing up around New York, again."

"And Perceptor wants me to upgrade the console of Teletran-X." Scope excused himself.

"See ya later." Riku watched Smoke transform and Scope entering the vehicle. He turned back to Girudo. "Up for a swim in the lake?"

* * *

Smokescreen dropped off Scope in the Ministry of Science and sped to the Palace of Nations. Upon entrance he met Bumblebee and greeted him. The lieutenant merely nodded as response, which brought a frown to Smoke's features.

After Optimus revealed to everyone, Ratchet and Bee first, the cause for Rafael's insanity, the old Team Prime came to mourn for it. Miko even apologized to Raf's spirit for what she said and thought of him. But Bee never fully came out of the mourning and adopted a colder, sterner character. He had become a miniature Ultra Magnus; serious, no-nonsense military leader. Though the Autobot SIC has been known to loosen up in seldom times, Bumblebee has not.

They joined the meeting and apologized for tardiness, Bumblebee's a lot more emotionless than Smokescreen's. All the Autobot high-ranks plus the original Team Prime were present.

"We have confirmation that Megatron is amassing his Predacon army to an assault on New York." Optimus gave a blunt breakdown of the news.

"Our top spy, Static," Optimus indicated a grey Autobot with an unassuming appearance. Static was a new Autobot that arrived a couple of years back and showed a great potential for espionage, which put him under Blaster's command."has learnt of Megatron's plan during the time he spent posing as a Decepticon behind enemy lines."

With the Prime's permission, Static got up to give a report. His voice was a perfect copy of a human actor, James Wood's. "By what we can only call dumb luck, a group of Vehicon workers blew up one of the last dig sites for Predacon bones. We assumed the bone had been disintegrated. Buckethead got so upset he ripped the drones to shreds himself. But he got a lot sunnier when the explosion revealed a chamber chock-full of Predacon fossils. It turned out the place was an underground cemetery for the beasts, shielded by a thick layer of rock."

"So that was how the number of Predacon clones increased exponentially. Now he has a large enough bestial force to beat us back. He could win the Beast Wars." Ultra Magnus resumed.

"Way to paint a bleak picture." Springer grumbled.

"But truthful, nonetheless. Perceptor, how goes the progress with the combiners?"

The chief scientist displayed holographic images of several combiners, which were the response to the increasing Predacon numbers. There was the mighty Indominus and the imposing Gaia Guardian. "As you all know, the only veteran combiners we have from the War for Cybertron are Computron and Superion. Though we have made a great success in the creation of Gaia Guardian to replace the fallen Defensor.

"One other attempt was to merge our team of Wreckers into a new Ruination."

On Cybertron, a group of five Wreckers – including their former, offline leader Impactor – could merge into the mighty Ruination. Perceptor was attempting to create a Ruination #2 with Springer and other surviving Wreckers.

"Unfortunately we are still ways to achieve any good results. If the Wreckers were to combine now, they would be no better than that berserker Menasor." Perceptor sighed. "However, we are having much better results with Build Team and the Team Bullet Trains. The combiner form of the builders, Landfill, is powerful. The only possible downside is the fact that Landfill's character is just their leader Wedge's personality granted the combined might of his comrades."

The hologram showed a smaller, slightly disfigured combiner. A cannon for a left hand, a hook for right one. The right arm also had a giant shovel to make a third arm of sorts.

"Wedge is still young and inexperienced and Build Team are not hardened warriors." Ultra Magnus opined. "Their dedication and tireless endeavoring is commendable, but we are in need of trained, disciplined soldiers. Which is why I have pushed for an Elite Guard combiner project."

"Combining the alike minds of sternly taught soldiers is no easy effort, Commander. Combination requires processors that think alike but with different personalities." Perceptor retorted. "Continuing, the Bullet Trains are soldiers and have achieved a balanced combination, Rail Racer."

The Bullet Trains were Railspike, Rapid Run, and Midnight Express. The holographic display of their joint form, Rail Racer, was much taller than Landfill, due to the trains being tall Cybertronians themselves. Only Indominus and Gaia Guardian stood taller.

"Rail Racer, despite only being made of three components, is powerful, disciplined and reliable as are the trains. A true success in fighting Predacons. Though Racer has a tendency to address himself as 'we' rather than the other combiner who are single identities. Nonetheless, his combination remains mentally balanced."

Perceptor finished his report and the hologram of the combiners and team disappeared.

"The combiners we have may not be in sufficient numbers to overcome the Predacons but will give us a fighting chance. I am ordering the bulk of our forces to mobilize to New York and prepare to defend the city against the eventual attack." Optimus commanded. The hologram showed the discussed city.

"With all the defenses we have clustered around the city, plus the groundbridge dampeners, we will see this attack coming. In spite of our odds, we can build upon the home field advantage."

After much planning done, the meeting was done and everyone went their ways. Save for one person that Optimus requested to talk to. "Jack, stay for a while."

Jack gave Miko a curious look and she left. He faced the Prime, with expectancy but not showing. Part of becoming a soldier and living around a stoic leader made him good at keeping a blank poker-face.

"I have been pondering over this, and I have come to the conclusion you deserve to have something. An artifact I once asked you to keep safe." Optimus approached his massive metal hand and produced the Key to Vector Sigma.

"You're giving it to me again? I'll guard it well, if that's what you want." Jack vowed.

"You misunderstand. When you were a boy, I saw a bit of my old self in you, Jack. I gave you the Key because I believed you were able to carry the burden and that the Key would accept you and imprint on you. I was right in both accounts.

"You have proven to be more than Orion Pax, though. Which is why I am giving you the Key, permanently. Or until you choose to pass it down to another. You are not its guardian, Jack, but its owner. What you do with the Key, is your choice."

"But what if you need it, one day?"

"If that day comes, then I know you will use it correctly to light our darkest hour." Optimus left, leaving behind a strangely humbled Jack.

* * *

**Underground compound, Nevada Desert. Decepticon Imperium.**

Megatron actually was glad for the fact he felt intimidated before the sight of the Predacons. He could mirthfully imagine the horrified screams of the Autobots, were they standing where he is now. But unlike his enemies (and some of his followers), he showed no fear before the beasts.

The Predacon army, mounting fifty in numbers, was ready to deploy.

The underground bunker was large enough to accommodate a large number of Predacons when they're not battling or patrolling the no-bot's land, but never before were they all here at once. Now they were, and prepared to obey his command to go into battle.

The Beast Wars would soon eradicate the Autobot beacon of hope.

"Shockwave, this is an impressive work. Congratulations, as usual you have performed impressively."

The one-eyed one bowed.

Megatron turned his focus solely to the beasts. The army was not arranged in perfect stands like a legion of soldiers. Nor would he want them to. After all, these are all beasts, not soldiers. Granted they were mighty, imposing, ferocious, even _beautiful_ after a fashion, but they were still beasts with no high thought than to hunt and fight in the name of the Decepticon Imperium.

The five on the front had in some way or another distinguished themselves from the majority. The Predacons are all identified by a code number, which the warlord found appropriate though distasteful. He would rectify that now.

"It has come to my attention these five Predacons have proven themselves to be the most reliable ones. Henceforth, they shall be given their own names." There was no one else besides Shockwave there, and the scientist nodded after a brief hesitation.

"Understood, my liege." Megatron could tell the scientist didn't agree to that. Well, that was his problem.

Megatron approached the biggest, most menacing one. The original and the apparent alpha male of the army. Staring into those fearsome yellow, featureless optics gave him the sensation of looking at something primal.

"You, the leader and the first of your resurrected kind will be known as Predaking." He laid a hand on the creature's muzzle and it groaned softly. Megatron bet it liked the name.

He moved on to the next, a femme with the tail ending in a large claw with a sting. Her body frame was light blue, save for the carmine wings. She had three times used her mech-venom to fry some Autobots' circuitry into an agonizing demise. This one also seemed…_protective_ of her fellow beasts, as she rescued some from Autobot clutches. "Your name shall be Ripclaw, for the fear your weapon has instigated in your enemies."

The next two in line were never seen one without the other. They patrolled together, flew together, slaughtered Autobots together. Shockwave claimed they came out of the cloning tank at the same time. Megatron decided to baptize them as such: "You two have proven to be a force to be reckoned with, when cooperating with one another. Your names shall be" he turned to the blue one with an eagle's beak rather than a dragon muzzle. "Darksteel and" he looked at the more draconic-looking brother "Skylinx. Carry those names proudly."

The brothers snarled and Darksteel attempted to bite Skylinx's shoulder. This generated a bit of bickering between them. Despite working closely, those two also fought once in awhile. Which Megatron was fine with; just like Barricade had taught him in the days of the arena:

'_A little brute competition is good for the Spark_.'

The last one was a smaller-than-average beast, standing just a head above Megatron's head. This beast seems to plan its attacks rather than just flying in and ravage like most of its kind do. Fast, stealthy, evasive and its special attack was an icy breath that froze Autobots solid. Then it would take them high in the sky and drop them. Few survived that experience.

"With your intelligence, you have proven to be a true Autobot hunter and a model for your brethren to strive to follow. Your name shall be Skystalker."

"Speaking to pets, thought I taught you better, Big M." that snarky comment in such tone could only come from one Cybertronian. Barricade had just entered the compound, accompanied by Cyclonus.

"Lord Megatron, my armada is prepared for battle and awaiting your command."

"Excellent. While you lead our air forces against New York. Barricade will command the Predacons plus a few additional ground forces."

"Will that include the spider-freak?" he meant BlackArachnia.

"Yes."

"Wonderful." the oldest gladiator groaned disgruntled.

"But before we launch our attack, I must speak with our informer." Megatron retreated himself. "The Autobots believe they have their ways of spying on us. We have our own."

A soft groan halted him and Megatron turned back to Shockwave. "Is there a problem?" he asked the one who made the sound.

"…There is none, my liege. I just find my brother to be...unreliable. He is unfocused and illogical."

"Your brother has been quite reliable in the past, Shockwave, as have you. He has delivered us Autobot intel as our mole within their ranks." Megatron put that discussion to an end and retreated.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

In Megatron's private quarters, he could relax in certainty no one could eavesdrop on the private call he would now make. One to the very Autobot capital, where the Decepticon mole has been undercover.

The video feed showed the upper-half of a bulky, shadowy figure with stocky arms and a large, red optic.

"_Prime knows of attack on NYC. Everything going into place_."

The message ended, as it should be. The security was tight on the capital of their enemies with that accursed Blaster listening on everything. Well, almost everything.

"Optimus has deduced of our attack impending attack on New York. Excellent." He smirked to himself. "Everything is indeed going as planned.

"I should not disappoint my old friend. I have a few surprises in store for you, Optimus."

* * *

**3rd April 2034. 21 years and 153 days AE.**

**Union City, New Jersey. Autobot outpost.**

The Autobot army Optimus led was just a step outside New York. He had no intention of letting the city be besieged; therefore they would take the fight outside. True, the battle could be won by letting the Decepticons bleed themselves dry taking out the defenses. But Optimus knew this wasn't the time to shy away and take passive roles.

"They're coming!" announced a 'bot that launched the spy probes, saucer-like devices of Blaster's invention that flew fast and recorded the approaching armada.

"Autobots, we will make our stand here. The armada is merely a first wave to soften us. When the Predacons do arrive, prepare to fall back to New York and all combiners units merge." Optimus shouted, the slim frames of a multitude of Seekers growing closer in the sky.

"Until then, Union City is our line and none shall pass." Before his mind succumbed to the unattached set of a soldier in battle, Optimus had to admit to the lack of imagination of the humans who named this place. For all their qualities, humans are both imaginative and unimaginative. Why name this place Union City? Sure, 'Union' is inspiring but putting 'City' afterwards is so dull and overused.

* * *

Far above and getting closer, Cyclonus took charge of his flying followers.

"Decepticons, once we are in optimum firing-range, break formation and engage targets of opportunity. Our objective is to blast them dead or force them to retreat from Union City."

A casual thought in the Commander's processor was the uninteresting name of the place. 'Union City', why would the humans name it like this? As he recalled, one of the human-named sectors of what is now Skyquakus – formerly known as San Francisco – was called 'Union City'. And there were other Union Cities in the territories that are now the Decepticon Imperium. Clearly these humans had been a tasteless, primitive species. He felt no pity that such a First Age race was no more.

"Commander," the femme Slipstream asked. "how long do we have until those Predacon slowings get here?" she said it with a taunt to the Predacon's speed in the air, which was no match for a Seeker.

"We fight with all the metal in our bodies, whether they arrive sooner or later." He answered evasively as they entered firing-range and spread out to shoot the Autobots. The enemies returned in kind.

What Cyclonus knew but no one else did was that the Predacons won't be coming to New York, at all. Why should they enter a battle that is merely a distraction?

* * *

**Geneva.**

The city was noisily quiet.

Riku had lived his entire life on the Autobot capital, thus the noises of a city were part of his everyday life. But in light of recent events - learning the 'Cons were going to hit NYC with Predacons - most of the military population was mobilized to the Big Apple. Even Smoke, Bee, Jackie and Arcee were assigned for the defense force.

With so little Cybertronians patrolling and transforming, factories only going at half steam and most infrastructure being unused, Geneva was as noisy as a half-depopulated city could be.

That was the view Riku had of the city from sitting atop of a watchtower, one of the devices that shielded the capital from enemy bridges.

The cool breeze of the afternoon kissed the boy's face and he took a lungful of air in, then out.

"Sure wished something interesting happened, uh." Girudo put his head on his lap and Riku scratched the ears. "Or maybe that someone took me serious."

Following Riku's dimension-hopping misadventure, he expressed his desire to help in the fight against the 'Cons. He said he had learnt and beheld what they had destroyed and wanted to make them answer for that. Notwithstanding, his parents, Optimus and Smokescreen all denied his request to be involved on any missions or military activities against the 'Cons, whatsoever.

The maximum his parents would allow was basic training regiment, organized by them. Which, so far, had not been all that harsh. They told him in years, he would be prepared to join the good fight.

"Yeah, right." sarcasm cascaded from his words. Riku knew when he was been coddled; if his parents had their way, he would never even see a Decepticon, let alone shoot one. He ignored the fact that he had already seen 'Cons, on one of the alternate Earths.

Boredom accumulated and Riku descended the watchtower by the elevator, Girudo ever at his side. As they were leaving, a van he didn't initially recognize stopped by and transformed.

"Hi, uh…Static, is it?" Riku saluted

"That's me. What're you doing out here?"

"Just passing the time. And you?"

"Going to check up on one of the groundbridge dampeners." He pointed to the watchtower that had been his perch. It were those towers that prevented the Decepticons from bridging right in the middle of the capital. "One of them is acting wacko. I'm no warrior, so I wasn't shipped to New York. And doing tech support is better than sitting in my aft all solar cycle."

"You were that spy amongst the 'Cons, right? Shouldn't you have to kill me for telling all of this?" he laughed at Riku's joke.

"Ah, good one kid. I might just do that." He reciprocated on the same tone. "But first gotta go do tech support. Then I'll come for your hide. See ya later."

Thirty dul minutes passed when the organic and technorganic made their return to Geneva.

"Uh, still bored."

A bursting sound pierced his ears.

"Holy Primus!"

Before he grasped what happened, a groundbridge opened up in the sky above the capital and Predacons came out, one after another. Roaring like thunder, they opened their mouths to unleash an inferno.

The sky rained fire.

* * *

Riku lost track of the events once the mayhem started. All that he was aware was the mayhem itself. Autobots ran to take cover and assume battle positions. But most of them were workers and technicians, not warriors. All trained soldiers were in New York…where the first major battle of the Beast Wars should be taking place.

Girudo cried out in a confused panic. He kept close to Riku's leg.

"Riku!" the Autobot Chief of Surveillance and Intelligence, Blaster, came rolling. "What are you doing here? Your folks are going into overdrive looking for ya."

"We were just flying by when this started. What's going on?"

"One of our groundbridge dampeners just went kabooming and the 'Cons sent their mutts pouring in."

"HEADS UP!" a warning from an Autotrooper saved them from a firebolt coming from above. Blaster grabbed Riku, who had Girudo in his arms, and leaped out of blast range.

"Thanks for the save."

"Get your aft out of here and comm-link your parents. They're out there on the 'Con Grinder."

"Sure thing." Riku took a hand to his ear, where the comm ear-piece was. "BTW, I saw Static out there before the attack started."

"Static? I've been looking all over for him, and he's not answering his comm. No way he can handle himself in a tornado rampage like this."

Without warning, Blaster cried out as something exploded behind him. Riku stepped back when Blaster fell on his knees, smoke erupting from his back. Human, Autobot and dog looked behind to see a grey, bulky, recognizable 'Bot.

"Static!" Blaster was baffled.

"Hey, boss-bot. How's it blowing?" Static fired another potent shot that brought a gravely damaged Blaster down. The shot came out of a massive, yellow left arm-cannon attached to Static.

"You! Traitor, you blew up that watchtower!" Riku growled, though he was barely heard under all the commotion.

By the look on Static's face, only now had he noticed the presence of the boy. "Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner, ladies and gentlebots!"

"Should have seen you were a double-agent!" Blaster spat energon that joined the pool oozing from his back.

"Took you long enough." Static chuckled childishly. "But this is the part I always love; to see you Bots' faces when I show you mine."

The grey rest of Static split opened and shirted, like in transformation process. But he wasn't changing mode, but rather his appearance. His chassis became all yellow and purple like the arm-cannon. The face morphed completely into a yellow frame to a single, large, red optic.

"Sh-Shockwave!" Blaster winced.

"I get that a lot, but not really. As you can see, I'm no copy of my brother." Indeed the differences between Static's true form and the infamous Decepticon scientist were as noticeable as their similarities. Besides a mostly yellow chassis, the right arm that ended in a hand also carried a double missile-launcher.

"Who are you? A Shifter?"

"Shockblast's the name and Shifting is my game."

Blaster let out a soft gasp of surprise. The name Shockblast echoed amongst both factions as a legend. It was the name of an unconfirmed Decepticon master spy who was responsible for stealing top secret information during the war from the High Council and the Autobots.

When those secrets were stolen, very few of the people guarding them survived. Only one of those survivors gave half a look at the thief and learnt its name: Shockblast.

So good was this fabled spy at stealth that nobody was sure he even existed, except perhaps the highest Decepticon circle. Only Megatron himself was rumored to know, and when asked about it by his followers, he flatly refused to comment. Many Autobots believed Shockblast was a piece of Decepticon propaganda, spread by Buckethead himself.

"Now that introductions are down the drain," Shockblast brought his arm-cannon to Blaster's chest. "time to give you my resignation letter."

"No!" Riku cried out. Girudo barked. Without looking, Shockblast swatted them away.

"Hmm, if my brother was here, he would lame on about 'how _unlogical_ that tactic was'." He made a mocking imitation of the other cyclops. "Now, Blaster, before I kill you, let me tell ya your taste in bands is outdated. Linkin Park will never beat Imagine Dragons."

"Why don't you go steal some fataft's wallet and identity?" Blaster spat.

"Maybe I will. I sit at the poker table and my job is to destroy people." He fired and Blaster's Spark was extinguished.

* * *

Riku came about on the cold floor when a hard object poked him. He stirred to hear again the noise of mayhem. When his eyes opened, they immediately became nailed on the giant Predacon's snout that awakened him.

He cried out and crawled back only to his something equally hard. He looked behind and saw another Predacon, this one with a beak rather than a snout. One Predacons in front, another behind. No escape.

The creatures growled softly and observed him with those expressionless, yellow optics, so different from an Autobot's.

"_Maybe they're taking their time choosing whether to stampede, eat or burn me? Maybe they'll choose all of the above._"

Unbeknownst to Riku, the Predacons were Darksteel and Skylinx. And yes, they were in fact pondering over something: what was this pink-squishy thing? It was no Autobot that their senses could tell. It was no Decepticon, either. Maybe something else entirely? Something poisonous?

Darksteel touched it softly with the tip of his beak and the pink-squishy rolled by the push. It made a sound like 'Hey', a bit louder than he expected for a creature of its size. It was funny to play with it. Most things Darksteel used to play with were pieces of scrap metal, which he eventually scrapped even further with his games.

But this pink-squishy made sounds and moved by itself. Just its appearance looked funny. Darksteel carefully approached his beak and grabbed the pink-squishy with the tip. He would take it to the Nest close by the big tower of the two-legs-alpha-male and play with it every day.

But Skylinx growled, saying the two-legs-alpha-male will not like it. First they should bring pink-squishy to him, as a gift for giving them names. To show his dominance in the matter, he pushed the blue griffin aside. The now aggravated Darksteel bit anything his beak could grasp. Like Skylinx's tail.

The argument between predators escalated (like it routinely does) to proportions that made them uncaring for anything else. A fact that the human boy would be eternally grateful for, as he made his escape from the two rampaging beasts.

He ran and dared not look back. Adrenaline was his fuel and survival instincts his drive.

"_No idea what those rust for brains were thinking, but I'm not kissing a gift minicon in the mouth_."

Bark! A tiny but welcomed wave of relief washed over Riku when he spotted Girudo running towards him.

"Bud! Thank Primus. Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

**Palace of Nations, Autobot HQ**.

The screams, the chaos, the explosions and the death almost reminded BlackArachnia of the final attack on Iacon, eons ago. In that battle, she didn't make it out in the clear, charging into battle like those bumbling brutish Decepticons. Instead she had stuck to the shadows and snuffed hapless Autobots when they fought they were safe. Ah, how those screams still made her processor vibrate with pleasure!

The few Autobot warriors were defending their city's headquarters at all costs. And the goliath spider had to admit it was slowing down their advance. While the Predacons focused mostly on destroying the rest of the capital, Barricade led the Stunticons and herself against the citadel.

The Autobots surrounded their main building with a makeshift wall of rubble and fired at everything outside.

"_I could sneak into the wall while those boisterous airheads keep the Autobots busy_." She thought with delight at the image of them crying out in agony as she ripped them into pieces. A flare of animalistic anger tainted her sadistic fantasy. "**So they can scream like I did!**"

"Quiet, Cylas!" she hissed at the destroyed human she was accursed to be bonded to.

Her audio receptors picked up an engine growling getting closer over the firefight. To her growing delight, it was the infamous 'Con Grinder, the vehicle of her beloved Jack. He came driving from a street and by sheer coincidence, stopped face-to-face against her.

"Jack, remember the last time we met. I recollect it was back on Russia, where I almost cut you off in pieces, starting with your face." She hissed at Miko, who was riding the 'Con Grinder with him. "Until your annoying mate and her partner interrupted."

"Yeah, I remember." He shouted in defiance. "And do you remember that time when Arcee, I and the Technobots sent you running, on Sahara? Or that time in Amazonia? Or that time before that in Antarctica?"

"Look, spider-ugly!" Miko growled. "We have better things to do, so get out of our way, and we won't hurt you too much when we roll over you!"

"Oh, better things than getting playing with me? Jack, I'm disappointed, your mate has no manners." She fired two strings of acid webbing, enough to dissolve their way through most metals. The 'Con Grinder retaliated; its turrets shot plasma bolts that incinerated the webbing. She shot a giant thick web, big enough to cover the whole vehicle.

"Fire in the hole!" Miko reciprocated, the ion lasers did their job of cutting the web into scorched shreds. But BlackArachnia was nowhere to be seen.

"Scrap, where did she go?"

The 'Con Grinder suffered a jolt when something heavy landed on top of it. Jack growled, knowing what it was. "I hate it when she does that!"

"Oh, Jack! Please, come out to play. **Or do I have to gut you out of this fucking can?!**" another of Cylas' bursts.

"EAT THIS!" Jack had to recoil at Miko's roar, as she fired the rotating molecular slicer cannon, the most powerful weapon on their arsenal. She aimed for BlackArachnia's Spark chamber but the femme leaped off the cutting beam's path. Notwithstanding, one of her legs was neatly severed, making her growl in pain.

"You little glitch, you'll pay for it!" the powerlinxed super-soldier spat venomously.

"Keep the change!" Miko growled, firing everything she had at the other female. Jack had to cringe at his woman's ferociousness. BlackArachnia wasn't even_ her_ archenemy.

When the barrage ceased, the targeted space looked like it had suffered a meteor impact. Jack spotted a few burnt pieces of BlackArachnia's armor. There was no body and he doubted the spider bitch had been vaporized. It was never that easy.

"Miko, that was overkill."

"Never mind that. Just keep driving until we find Riku." She urged him and at once, the worried parents returned to look for their missing child.

They left behind a losing battle. The Stunticons were taking out the Autotroopers with more cooperation efforts than they were known for. This team of Decepticons had gone through two substitutes: the late Breakdown was replaced by Offroad while the more recently deceased Motormaster made way for Barricade.

Unlike the previous leader, Barricade was a harsh one who made the Stunticons regret to disobey him. He had drilled the rebellious ones harshly. Like any gladiator coach, Barricade was completely ruthless. Ruthlessly snarky. He came close to break the Stunticons, as his methods were perhaps a bit too harsh even for him. But the endeavor was worth the price.

"Get ready, Deceptigoons!" the leader Autotrooper shouted. "We just radioed Optimus Prime. When he gets here, you and your Predapets will be rust."

"Then let's prepare the party for Prime's arrival." Barricade smirked and snarled at his own. "You rust-for-brains Stunticons, combine!"

They didn't even fathom the idea of refusing and transformed into the limbs of a giant. Without Motormaster to serve as a unifying torso, the pieces were useless.

That was where Barricade came in. He leaped and transformed into the necessary torso, creating a modified version of the old Stunticon combiner. Menasor 2.0 had a head with four, small optics and a mouthplate. The helmet had a dark-green crest going from the forehead to the nape, like a mohawk.

"Now," Menasor 2.0's voice was Barricade's. Just like the combined form of Build Team, the reborn Menasor was a vessel for the central component's will. Meaning a bigger, stronger, uglier Barricade. "let's start the party."

Menasor trashed the wall and threw the Autotroopers and the few soldiers like ragdolls.

* * *

**Union City**.

Something is wrong, that much Optimus Prime knew. The Seekers were losing, yet the Predacons did not make an entrance. The combiners had not merged; their orders were only to resort to that when facing the Predacons.

The communication officer stationed in New York called him. "_Prime! We've just received a distress transmission from Geneva! The capital is being decimated by Predacons!_"

"No!"

"Decepticons, retreat!" Cyclonus shouted to his troops, all taking flight and diving into a groundbridge.

The Autobots began to cheer their 'victory' until Optimus grimly ordered them to silence. Seeing their leader with that dark mien meant bad news.

"Autobots, this was no victory but rather a decoy. The Decepticons are attacking our home." He didn't wait for their reaction, quickly communicating with the Empire State Building, New York's Autobot HQ. "This is Optimus Prime, open a bridge to Geneva at once."

Addressing his SIC, he said gravely. "Ultra Magnus, remain here with the bulk of our forces. If Geneva falls, New York is all we have as a capital. Combiners, with me."

"Optimus, we are going, too." Arcee practically demanded with Wheeljack, Bumblebee and Smokescreen backing her. "That's our family out there."

Optimus gave no objection and the old Team Prime plus the combiners went in.

"Good luck to them." Rodimus wished.

"Good luck to us all." Magnus sighed.

* * *

**Geneva, Autobot capital.**

"Primus!" Optimus exclaimed in horror. Geneva was literally going up in smoke and flames. The smell of spilled and combusting energon was easily identifiable.

The sight of crumbling buildings, offline Autobots and wanton destruction gave him a flashback of what had befallen Iacon. Even though they had beaten back the Decepticons, the old historical city had been ruined. The similarity of the past and the present was macabre.

Predacons roared above, setting the energon and buildings on fire. At the center was the Palace of Nations being smashed by a Decepticon combiner.

Optimus uttered an absent sigh: "And all my dreams, torn asunder."

"Optimus." Arcee called his focus back to the present.

"Autobots," he unsheathed the Star Saber. Normally he refrained from using the sword, in respect not to take such power for granted. But this wasn't a normal time. "Fight for our city and our brethren!"

A series of combiner merges took place in the middle of the havoc:

"Aerialbots, combine into Superion!"

"Technobots, combine into Computron!"

"Guardianbots, combine into Gaia Guardian!"

"Dinobots, combine into Indominus!"

"Build Team, combine into Landfill!"

"Bullet Trains, combine into Rail Racer!"

It was a breathtaking, awing sight to see all those giants in the same place.

Indominus and Gaia Guardian were the two largest figures in battle, reaching towering heights even compared to Cybertronian infrastructure. Naturally, they were the targets of most Predacons. Indominus was swarmed with beasts the same way a hornet is swarmed with small bees that defend the hive.

"Indominus grinds Predapunies!" the berserker Dinobot combiner pried off the beasts tearing at him and mashed them together.

"Begone!" Gaia Guardian, much more level-headed, convoked an energy field around himself that halted and shocked the assaulting beasts.

Computron analyzed his opponents, quickly determining their weaknesses and exploiting them. Superion engaged in the air with all the bravado he could muster. Landfill launched himself at one of the beasts, possessing all the cockiness of Wedge. Rail Racer fought with mastery and control of a soldier.

Optimus knew he would have to unleash more destruction to prevent this from escalating. The Predacons were all here and had to be destroyed. For the good of all concerned.

He drew back the blade to make a move…

…And a giant Predacon came snarling above him, pinning the Prime down with the force of a small asteroid. The impact drew a crater around them.

Predaking snarled at Optimus' face, its ominous optics revealed a malevolent cleverness. As if _it_ knew of Prime's intentions of wiping out its legion.

"Optimus!" Landfill charged at Predaking and knocked it off Optimus. "You okay, boss?"

"Thank you, Landfill." Optimus wasted just a second to pick up the Star Saber. And the Predacon wasted none by gorging out a firestorm at them both. The fire didn't hurt them too much, though it threw their senses out of whack. They never saw the beast slashing at Optimus with its tail and taking flight with the Star Saber clutched in his jaws.

Landfill looked dumbfounded. "Did it do that on purpose?"

"Without the Star Saber, we may be lost." Optimus frowned. The city was destroyed. There was virtually no one here to save. And the combiners couldn't fight off all Predacons indefinitely. "Autobots, retreat! Fall back to New York."

"Never!" Indominus roared.

"Prime, we can't abandon our capital." Gaia Guardian said.

"The capital is lost. Superion and Rail Racer, bring as many survivors as you can find. Gaia Guardian, cover their escape."

"Boss, we have our own to go rescue." Wheeljack said.

"Then go. Bring our family back to safety." Optimus nodded and the four of them transformed and rolled to look for the Darbys.

"What about you, Optimus?" Landfill asked.

"I will attempt to recover our best hope to win." Optimus zoomed his optics on the sword in the flying beast's jaws. He transformed and pursuit.

* * *

"I'm getting a signal on the 'Con Grinder. They're around here." Wheeljack said.

There was a strange sound was barely noticed over the warzone noise. A noise that was foreign to the cacophony of battle. One that Smokescreen recognized.

"Girudo? Riku!" Smoke transformed to the relieving sight of his partner and his dog running towards them

"Smoke, thank Primus! Everything's gone to the Pits! Where's mom and dad?"

"We're on their trail."

"And I am on yours!" their energon/blood ran cold when they saw BlackArachnia jumping on them.

A scream! The sound of metal piercing metal. Energon spilled.

* * *

**4th April 2034. 21 years and 154 days AE.**

**Ruins of Geneva.**

Megatron had a feeling of flashback. Standing atop the ruins of the Autobot capital reminded him when this planet was made into a proper world to conquer and his warship disintegrated the Autobot refuge on Jasper, Nevada. Ah, sweet memories of destruction.

"Lord Megatron," Shockwave approached him. "most of the surviving Predacons are now hunting down Autobots stragglers in the area. The Guardianbots are being targeted and I estimate the Predacons will soon capture them."

During the escape, Gaia Guardian used every bit of energy he had to maintain his shield to allow the others to escape. He was the guardian; to protect others was his calling. When his power ran out, he automatically separated into six tired components whom were forced to flee.

"What of our losses?"

"Thirteen Predacons were offlined, with ten others damaged but repairable. That leaves us presently with a force of twenty-seven. None of the named ones are armed."

"Hum…that will not be enough to take New York. A pity. I had wishes of destroying two Autobot cities in a row." Megatron turned from the ruins to face his other lieutenants, Soundwave and Cyclonus, who just came flying in.

"My liege, the drones are picking the city clean and so far have retrieved two relics." Cyclonus kneeled to give him the Immobilizer and Polarity Gauntlet.

"What of the Star Saber?"

"That …is a curious thing, master." Cyclonus sounded puzzled. "Barricade claimed he, as Menasor, saw Predaking flying away with the sword and Prime giving chase."

"Is that so? Shockwave, has our veteran beast taken it?"

"Impossible, my liege. If that had been so, it would have delivered the relic to us."

Megatron grunted, not surprised by that answer. "Speaking of Barricade, where is he?"

"He left when he learnt an Autobot had avoided capture, saying something about a 'search for old justice'." Cyclonus said. "I attempted to apprehend him, as he had no permission from you to leave, but…"

"He brought you down without even trying." Megatron guessed with a smirk. "Barricade is an old-school mech of the arena. An old score left unsettled is something that cannot stand.

"Soundwave, what is this escapee Autobot he had gone to pursue?" the spymaster's visor showed the image Megatron already expected. No surprise.

"Anything else?"

"Unfortunately, my liege, it appears our super-soldier BlackArachnia has gone rogue. According to the last data received by my instruments, she was experiencing a great trauma when the pain-giver implanted in the neural net was either shut down or destroyed in the midst of a vicious struggle against the Autobots."

"So she is again free and flying solo, just as she prefers. She's a loose end whose usefulness has run its course. Have Predaking hunt her down and bring me her Sparkless chassis."

Before Shockwave could confirm and take his leave, someone decided to intrude:

"Megatron!" the warlord clenched his teeth in annoyance at the irritatingly smooth voice that hailed him. Shockblast, the best spy amongst his followers and the one who made this victory possible, approached with his assertive attitude that many Decepticons couldn't even dream of using in Megatron's presence. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Shockblast, an excellent job you have performed. Your skills have not gathered rust." Megatron had to give credit when it's due, even if it's to someone he doesn't particularly like. After all, he always gave deserved credit to Optimus.

"Likewise, Big M. Say you have more scars than last time I saw you, or what? 'Cause they look good on ya. Real nice."

"Yes, yes. Now I believe your brother can keep you entertained." Megatron indicated Shockwave, who was attempting to leave discreetly. Shockblast wrapped his canon war around his brother's shoulders, cutting off any possible escape.

"Hey bro, long time no see. So, what brings you to Autobot-city?"

"If Primus exists, then I am here being punished me for my sins." Shockwave growled annoyingly.

"Eh, you're too kind, brother." Shockblast turned causally to the other two. "Soundy, how's it talking? Love what you did with the face. Great plastic surgery. That mug is really you. It just is."

Soundwave used something he picked up from human internet and flipped him off.

"Cyclone, I see you haven't dropped the 'bunny-ears'. I know most people say you look like Unicron with those things. That they look like horns. But guess what? On my way to Earth, I got some images from that internet thing they had. And those things look like bunnyears, know what I mean." Shockblast commented on the white structures on the sides of Cyclonus' helmet.

"Afthole." The SIC muttered.

Soundwave and Cyclonus retreated after their leader, none wanting to spend any more time than necessary around the over talkative cyclops.

"Do you not have any assignment or duties?" Shockwave asked.

"Nope-dope, 'Wave. Now that my mission was a success, Big M just gave me a good R&amp;R time. And I'm gonna spend it with, guess whom? Hey, Soundy, care to give me drumroll here?" he called out but was outright ignored by the departing chief of communications. "Fine, whatefs. With you, 'Wave. A LONG time just you and me..."

"Uh." Shockwave sighed depressively. Only his brother could make him this emotionally negative.

"...And when I'm not with you? Well, I just spend time with my _eye_-phone." Shockblast finished, like he never heard his brother's lamentation.

"What?" Shockwave immediately cursed himself for asking. Now Shockblast wouldn't quiet down for anything.

"My _eye_-phone!" he pointed to his own optic, clarifying the pun. "I'm not kidding when I tell ya, this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Okay, so Fox gives you great police shows, so what? On this thing, I can watch everything The Hub dishes out. From G.I. Joe, to My Little Pony. Even Transformers: Prime, can you believe it?"

* * *

**Shockblast**: looks like Six Shot from 'Transformers Energon' and has the voice of James Woods. Yeah, I just made Woods into a Decepticon, deal with that. He's a spy with the powers of a Shifter. Brother to Shockwave and a constant source of intel and irritation to other Decepticons.

The last part of the attack on Geneva was a bit rushed to leave a good share of loose ends. What happened to Optimus after he disappeared chasing Predaking? What happened to the Star Saber? What has become of Riku, the Darbys, Arcee, Bee, Smoke and Wheeljack?


	17. Chapter 17

**Halo is a bad ass**: That part about Shockblast's _eye_-phone is a joking way to end the chapter. He's just messing around. I made him say that to copy a scene of James Wood's i-phone. Look it up on youtube. Besides, the internet and human satellites have crashed years ago.

**HubrisP**: Sorry but Unicron is still out of commission. The power of the matrix put him to sleep for good. Between that and the cyberforming, he is now in a deep coma. But if Primus was to awaken…

**WARNING:** The story is coming to a close.

* * *

**4th April 2034. 21 years and 154 days AE.**

**Western edge of the Alps.**

Barricade had sped through 10 miles of plain landscape when he halted and transformed to examine a blue, glowing puddle. During the War for his homeworld, his favorite part wasn't the open battle but the lone hunt for Autobot outlaws.

"_This energon is fresh_." He thought to himself. _"Leaking like this, our little bee couldn't have gone far without exacerbating the wound._"

With the fall of the Autobot capital, many 'Bots couldn't bridge or call for help, for the Decepticons had reactivated the dampener of the city, but jury-rigged it to block Autobot groundbridges and frequency channels. Now these cut off, injured Autobots had to travel miles by wheels to reach the end of the dampening field and try to reach out for their comrades.

Barricade transformed again and sped on the trail, following it to a canyon between two mountain sides. On the left side was a narrow cave, barely wide enough for a car to drive into.

Barricade smirked. "Trapped like a retrorat." He produced his weapon of choice, a heavy, spiky ball attached to a chain like a hammer. Hurling it like an Olympic champion at the top of the mouth of the cave, a tremor was triggered and the metal rock started to crack and fall apart.

An engine roared and Bumblebee came racing out of his crumbling hiding place.

"Best way to make a retrorat leave its hole: break everything." Barricade recited. Bumblebee transformed to face him, revealing an injured right shoulder from where he was leaking energon.

Barricade adopted a half-serious look "Autobot Bumblebee, you are under arrest for terrorism and espionage against the Decepticon Imperium. I can take you in dead and scrapped or alive and mutilated. How will it be?"

Bumblebee's response was charging and delivering an uppercut on the 'Con's chin. A fist fight started, Barricade having a large advantage with his long gladiatorial training. But Bumblebee was fast and nimble enough to avoid most crippling blows. Until Barricade threw a fist into Bee's wounded shoulder.

The Autobot fell howling in pain from the low blow but he threw a venom glare at the offender.

"You used to be a lot chattier the last time I pursued you. What's the matter, little Bee? I heard you got your voicebox back."

"Shut up!" Bumblebee snarled, his renewed anger gave him strength to ignore the pain and get back up. But Barricade brought him back to his knees with a swift kick to the torso.

"You're feistier than I remember, little bee." Barricade was thoughtful for a moment. "Is it because of your lost pet? The one who used to sic those mutated scraplets on Megatron's troops?"

The moment of shock on Bumblebee's face told Barricade he struck golden energon. "Yeah, I was told the Decepticons had to deal with some mutant scrap-eaters for some time. Megatron said some human found a way to control them. Then those bugs stopped showing up on the battles. Did your pet run away and took away its bugs? Maybe you didn't feed it very well." He mocked.

"YOU SHUT UP!" letting his anger take fully over, Bumblebee made another attempt to tear his enemy apart. His berserk attack gave him no fruit but a punch in the chest and being floored again.

With mirth worthy of a Decepticon, Barricade planted a foot on the 'Bot's shoulder, doubling his pain. "So how will it be, dead and scrapped or alive and mutilated?"

Again Bumblebee gave no verbal answer. He could not get up and fight back, so he looked back at his enemy defiantly. This Barricade did not like.

"I never really liked those optics of yours." He looked with disgust into the big eyes. Then his expression changed into deviousness. "Think I'll change that."

He grabbed his victim by the neck and hoisted him to his level. The last thing Bumblebee saw were Barricade's clawed digits, one nearing each optic. Then he saw no more. But he felt the pain of his eyes being pierced and plucked out.

He had once lost his voice. Today he had lost his sight.

Barricade chuckled at Bumblebee's kneeling and screaming form, clutching his head. The twin holes in his face were leaking energon, as glowing tears. Barricade kicked him away pitilessly. Bumblebee rolled against a rock and went into stasis. The cruel Decepticon left him there, believing that going offline, blinded and abandoned, was a fitting end.

"See you around, little bee. Not that you'll be seeing me."

* * *

**5th April 2034. 21 years and 155 days AE.**

**Empire State Building, New York.**

Not for the first time, Ultra Magnus had to take the reins of the Autobots. A handful of times during the War for Cybertron, he acted as leader of the cause because Optimus was unavailable for one reason or another. Now with the Prime MIA, he sat in the command chair of New York's HQ.

The city was now the de facto Autobot capital. The most secure Autobot-controlled post where they could regroup and launch a counter-offensive. Magnus had to appreciate the irony that, not too long ago, their new refuge used to be the Decepticons' highest place of power.

"Captain Fireblade, how are the rescue missions proceeding?" he inquired the holographic form of the elder Autobot warrior, who had been given the mission to find any of their fellow soldiers still lost around the ruins of Geneva.

"_My squadron detected the Guardianbots being taken prisoner. We interfered and managed to extricate them safely, but they have sustained injury during their time in captivit_y."

Ultra Magnus held back his wrath at the Decepticon capturers. As commander, he was expected to remain unfettered. "The medical bay is almost full but our medics will never abandon Autobots in need. Can you transport the Guardianbots out of the dampener's radius?"

"_I believe _so_. In two hours we will reach what was once the metropolis known as Paris._"

"We will have a scheduled groundbridge for you. See you later, Captain." Magnus had an afterthought and said quickly. "One more thing; has there been any sign of the Darbys?"

"_Negative. Neither they nor their Autobot partners have been sighted. Lieutenant Bumblebee's whereabouts are also unknown."_

Magnus sighed. The most logical answer would be to send more rescue parties, but with Predacons still on the loose around Geneva's grounds, they would be slaughtered. Only Fireblade's size and unmatched combat experience gave her an edge to beat one such beast, as it has been proven before. "And I take it you have found no clue of Optimus."

A shook of head was her answer. "_At this point, it has become painstakingly clear Optimus is nowhere near Geneva."_

"Thank you, Captain. Keep up the excellent work. Over and out."

The hologram vanished and Ultra Magnus was again left alone and quiet with his thoughts, but not for long. "Teletram-X, show me the progress of Optimus Prime's signal over the last two solar cycles."

He had ordered that function over ten times already, and logically knew one more would provide no different results or clues.

The supercomputer showed a map of Europe and Asia, forming a practically straight line going from Geneva to southeast. Optimus had last been seen chasing the Predacon who stole the Star Saber amidst the chaos. But when he reached to the Oceania islands, - Magnus had no idea how Optimus managed to cross the ocean in between them - his signal was lost. It wasn't offline, that much Magnus was sure and grateful for.

"Locate current location and vital signs."

"_Optimus Prime's signal unable to be located. Vital signs online."_ Optimus was alive, but lost. And he had disappeared when nearing the big island on the south: Australia.

For some reason Australia was blocking radio signals and groundbridging. It could only mean one thing: the Decepticons must have a large outpost there, to have the whole island shielded.

* * *

**7th April 2034. 21 years and 157 days AE.**

**Liechtenstein.**

With every running step, Jack Darby's lungs begged for precious oxygen. He pushed aside his organism's request and increased his pace. Anyone who saw him would assume Unicron himself was after the poor man.

He hid behind a thick metal trunk on the cyberformed forest. It didn't escape him this situation wasn't so different from the one when he was a kid going into the woods with Arcee. The day he discovered he disliked ALL bugs, spiders the most.

"Oh, Jack! Are we playing a game now? Because I'd be happy to teach you the Decepticon version 'hide and go shriek'." BlackArachnia announced in a singing tone.

During their escape from Geneva, Jack's family and their Autobot partners were attacked by the super-soldier. He was separated from Riku and Miko after the 'Con Grinder was destroyed and everything around them started coming down. The last thing he saw were his woman and son being grabbed by their partners.

For the last few days he had been running alone. He couldn't call for help, courtesy of the Decepticon jamming coming from Geneva. Only option available was to move out of range and then call for help.

If there was a God or Primus, they hated him for BlackArachnia was the first company he stumbled upon in days.

Suddenly she leaped before him and looked him optic to eye. "Found you! You're hit!"

Jack was between a spider and a hard trunk. But his mind tried to tame the panic. Best option in this case was…stall. "You never put much effort in the chase. You're only toying with me."

"What gave me away?" she mocked, delaying her move to grab her victim just one second. That second was all what Jack needed to produce his last grenade from his pocket and toss it into BlackArachnia's face.

The acidic slime that splattered all over made the spider scream in agony, her original thin hands grasped the steaming face while the brutish arms of Breakdown punched the ground in blind fury. Jack made his escape, thanking Wheeljack over and over again for giving him a crash course on those grenade inventions of his.

"Jack! I will find you!" BlackArachnia roared, still blinded and so would be for half an hour. "**And when I do, I will do to your eyes what you have done to mine.**"

Guided by sheer rage, she shot sticky web traps in every direction and one caught Jack in his escape, stacking him in a cocoon up to the neck. Blinded, BlackArachnia approached him like a predator nearing its downed prey.

"You didn't think you could get away that easy, did you? I can't see you, but I can hear your heart beating faster and faster as I get closer and closer." True enough, Jack could feel his heartbeat increasing with every step. She deliberately made a slow approach to enjoy the tune. Jack was amazed his heart didn't explode when she at last grabbed him. He stared paralyzed into the purple, slime-covered optics.

"It's only a shame I can't see your face right now." She lamented but then had a thought. "Oh, I just remembered something! Do you recall my favorite hobby of collecting samples of endangered species? Of course you do, Arcee must have filled you in on my collection, before you two burnt down my ship. Ever since that day I have looked to start a new collection. And now that humans are such a rarity, guess whose lucky head will be the first?"

Jack finally found his voice. It was at times like these, when the villain about to execute you paused, that the nerve to talk back kicked in. "Get fragged!"

BlackArachnia smiled. "That is going to cost you two ribs." With devilish precision, she pinched his floatingribs with enough force to crack them, pleased to hear her victim grunting in pain.

"Any last words before a jar of formaldehyde becomes your new, permanent nest?" she asked.

This was the end, he knew. BlackArachnia would separate his head from his shoulders as slowly and agonizingly as conceivable. Riku, Miko, Arcee and everyone else wouldn't see him again and he wouldn't see them…

"Any last words?" BlackArachnia increased her grip, painfully bringing his thoughts back to the ground. Funny how one could digress when they're about to face death.

What last words should he give her? A challenge or an insult? As he distractedly looked over her shoulder, a word escaped his lips: "Predacon."

She quirked an eyebrow, struck by confusion. "'_Predacon'_? That is your last word. And I expected a challenge or an insult. Tsk, tsk, you disappoint me."

"Predacon." This time she took the hint and looked back to see the gigantic Predaking on the sky, descending upon them like a bird of prey.

Surprised, she dropped Jack which was a saving grace for him. The beast made a charging descent on her and dragged her on the ground, digging a trench with her form.

"Let go, you abomination!" still half-blinded, BlackArachnia fired her acidic webbing at it. Predaking's hide resisted the acid onslaught. The beast repaid her with a rain of fire, which had a much more dolorous result on her. Still trapped in his web cocoon, Jack heard her screaming.

The beast engulfed her in its jaws and took flight, disappearing from his line of sight. Jack struggled to squeeze out of the web, knowing that try to break it was impossible for a human. He paused when BlackArachnia let out an echoing roar of agony that made him _almost_ feel sorry for her. Then her body fell from the sky and crashed like meteor.

It was broken in half, Spark chamber ripped open. The Predacon descended again, putting a paw on top of its kill and roaring out loud, wanting everything to know who stood victorious.

"My God." Jack whispered in stunned fright. Big mistake, for the Predacon's keen hearing picked it up and the draconic alien turned to Jack. "Scrap, I was better off with BlackArachnia!"

Predaking leaned his snout to poke and sniff him. Its massive size allowed it to reach the man without moving from its place over BlackAirachnid's carcass. A simple breath of hot, steaming gas from its nostrils was enough to half-melt the web and Jack broke free. But he dared not move, figuratively pinned by the intense look of the creature.

Never had Jack been so close to a Predacon. He had never seen one in live battle until the attack on Geneva. The humans were forbidden to engage the powerful beasts. To an ordinary Autobot, confronting a Predacon was a granted death wish.

Jack would expect the monster to finish him off already. But the Ultimate Autobot Hunter was just standing there, scrutinizing him with those yellow, opaque optics. It poked him again with the snout, with a gentleness that betrayed its size. Maybe it was instinct, just a reflex or plain stupidity, but Jack brought a hesitating hand to the muzzle.

The man's sight was nailed on the Predacon's, as it's was on his. And after a few seconds of staring, Predaking extended the massive wings and took flight with BlackArachnia's shell. Jack remained dumbstruck there.

"What the scrap just happened?" he asked nobody. Deciding it was wise to leave while he was still ahead, he kept his journey. Once he was out of the dampener's range, he was able to contact the Autobot rescue team and was returned to New York, where his family and friends already were.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

Megatron was surprised when Soundwave came reporting in a distress signal from Skyquakus.

"_Ristvak'baen, do you read?! We need reinforcements immediately! They're killing us! Oh, PRIMUS, NO!_" static noise ended the transmission.

"This is Autobot retaliation, no doubt." Cyclonus said.

Megatron frowned. "Unlikely. At this point, they are not sufficiently reorganized and attacking a city on our western border, which is the furthest from their reach, is tactically illogical and difficult."

"Forgive me for this foolish thought, my liege. But from that transmission, I would be tempted to gamble our troops were being slaughtered by Predacons." Cyclonus commented.

Megatron kept the tremor he felt well hidden from his minions. The very idea of Predacons turning against his Decepticons was one of the few images that frightened him.

"Nonetheless, I will lead my armada to fight back this assault and reclaim our city." Cyclonus bowed to excuse himself but Megatron raised a hand to stop him:

"No, Commander. If this attack was as savage as the transmission let out, our troops on Skyquakus have all been crushed by now." And he rose from the throne. "I will lead a scouting detail myself to investigate. You are in charge until my return."

"As you wish, Lord Megatron."

* * *

**Ruins of Skyquakus**.

"_Such destruction could only have been wrought by beasts_." Megatron thought with narrowed optics when he crossed the groundbridge and gazed upon the ravaged buildings. It was as if a collection of different natural catastrophes had wrecked the city. There were buildings tore down, fallen, some still standing with massive holes going from one side to the other.

The most gruesome sight were the dozens of offline Decepticons, ripped apart on the rubble-filled street. The troops Megatron brought were clearly on edge and eager to leave. He had to grunt at his followers weak spinal-struts.

A movement caught his optic and he brought his fusion cannon at the ready, the troops following suite. It was a mangled, barely alive Vehicon with his legs missing. Megatron walked up to the survivor, who meekly raised a servo and begged:

"Please…"

Megatron ignored the plea for help and callously demanded:

"What has befallen this city?"

The dying Vehicon's visor flickered and turned off, signaling his death. With an annoyed grunt, Megatron kicked the corpse aside. "Decepticons, follow!"

He led the scouting party deeper into the ruined port town. No signs of life, Decepticon or the attackers. When they arrived at the center of the Richmond district, Megatron was certain something was off.

His tuned hearing detected a strange collective crawling whenever he walked. The sound wasn't his or of his scouts, and it halted when he stopped walking. He took a single step and the sound continued before it stopped just as his step ended. This was evidence they were being stalked. Or worse, surrounded.

"_I have led us into a trap!_" he darkly concluded. They were surrounded by savage hostiles and only he was aware of that. "Decepticons, prepare to fight for your Sparks!"

All hell broke loose when he uttered those words as the concealed enemies leaped out of the buildings and holes and attacked them in sheer numbers. The scouts were ripped apart before they knew it. Megatron saw and felt his precious cannon being ripped and grinded by…something. Then another creature, a giant metal worm-like being as big as Predaking burst from the ground and swallowed the Decepticon leader.

Then it dove back into the ground and the creatures all left the ghost city.

* * *

**8th April 2034. 21 years and 158 days AE.**

**Australia.**

Megatron came out of stasis when the giant metal worm regurgitated him after hours of travelling underground at high-speed. He involuntarily flashbacked to his gladiatorial days when he found himself on an arena of sorts. The floor was metal, but the construction was made of a strange yellow wax.

What got his optics the most were the spectators occupying the tiered seats. Creatures like he had never seen before. Similar to Insecticon's alt-modes on six legs with a round mouth filled with rotating blades and spilling a green acid. He didn't know what they were, but those mouths were too similar to scraplets'. And there was only one creature he knew who had a knack to manipulate such vermin.

"_Ladies and gentlemechs_," came in a flashfly, the scraplet shaped like a firefly and showing the hologram of a brown, demented human eye. "_I present to your entertainment, the champion of the Pits of Kaon. Brought here by our resident Grindworm, the King 'Con will now provide a show like his old days of the arena for our amusement!_"

"Rafael Esquivel," Megatron growled. "the human who used to thinker with scraplets for the Autobots. Only a vermin would go as low as to endeavor on creating more vermin."

"_Rafael? Please, that little virgin doesn't exist anymore. I am the KING!_" the man bellowed then laughed hysterically. Megatron quirked an eyebrow at that. It had been a few solar cycles since the Autobus altogether ceased employing scraplets. But he never discovered the reason.

"I see you have been keeping yourself occupied." Megatron commented, looking at the Beeterrors on the seats.

"_Oh, yes! I have upgraded my Beeterrors to go mano-a-mano with a Cybertronian. A legion of them did a good number on Skyquakus. But that's worth zero compared to the Grindworm – the good _chico_ whom I sent to invite you here – is just the first of many. But enough about me; you are the star today._"

"I beg to differ, maggot." Megatron snarled. "Since I became the unchallenged champion of the Pits, I have never again been a slave. Never again." With reflexes of a cheetah, Megatron crushed the flashfly, yet to his surprise Rafael's voice was not extinguished. It echoed all around the arena.

"_People, it seems our champion is rather eager for the games to begin. Would you kindly oblige to him?"_ the beeterror spectators began rotating their bladed jaws dripping acid. One leaped from the seats and landed on the arena, charging at Megatron like a bull. He took out his sword and dodged the onslaught, slicing its chest. It was an instant kill, nothing special from a champion gladiator.

"_Was that not good enough for your standards, Megsy? Very well, give him music, my pets._" Rafael ordered and more beeterrors jumped to try and dominate him. The ones who kept watching the display began banging their feet with a rhythm and Rafael sang:

_Megsy you're a boy make a big slag_

_Playing in Kaon street, gonna be a big mech some day_

_You got oil on your face_

_Big disgrace!_

_Kicking your aft all over the place_

_Sing it!_

The beeterrors collectively sang:

_We will, we will scrap you._

_We will, we will scrap you._

It was the hardest battle Megatron suffered. No matter how many of the fiends he slew, two more came to take its place. His enemies were growing in numbers, while he grew tired and more injured. The acidic bites were taking its toll and at last after dispatching close to fifty beeterrors, the fatigue overwhelmed and he fell on his knees.

"Ah! Time to dig in!" a beeterror snarled.

"Let's eat him, eat him, eat him!" said another.

"I SHALL NOT PERISH LIKE THIS!" Megatron bellowed. His Spark urged him to get up, refusing to go out as nourishment for these manufactured abominations! But his body was unable to cope, instinctively knowing it was doomed. "I am destined to conquer this world and many others!"

The gates of the arena were burst open from the outside and a tall Cybertronian came running him, firing his blasters at the beeterrors, liquidating them. Megatron expected his savior to be Cyclonus or some other loyal follower. What he didn't expect was…

"_Optimus Prime, I don't remember seeing your name on the guest list. And that's because I probably burnt it."_

"Rafael. End this madness. This is not you." Optimus shouted to the skies, blasting a beeterror's head.

"_I told you there is no Rafael! I am THE KING!_" he threw a tantrum and Optimus turned to finish off the rest of his enemies. When he was done – Rafael carried on his tantrum – and looked to the downed Cybertronian, the rescuer was as shocked to see the rescuee as the other way around.

"Megatron."

"Yes, Optimus. How very observant you are." He gave a roll of optics. "Who did you expect?"

"I expected some Autobot to be prisoner of Rafael." On the background, Rafael's tantrum continued.

"…_I AM THE KING! HOW MANY TIMES DO I_…"

"Though had I known you were here, I would not have come to save you." Optimus continued, earning a sarcastic response from his archenemy:

"Don't go to such hollow cynicism, Optimus. That is not your nature.

"Now, this scene may look familiar, but I am unarmed and unable to fight you. So, are you going to terminate me here and now, as I would do it and I am willing to gamble so would you? Or are you planning to follow your old code, like a thoughtless machine, and try and take me alive?"

Optimus stared at him sternly. To Megatron's surprise, it took less than a minute to ponder:

"For many times I allowed you to live, believing in the greater good. That everyone could change. Over twenty years ago, I saw how you destroyed an entire race without regards. You were there because I had not pulled the trigger before. I vowed I would never let that happen again." Optimus pointed his barrel at Megatron's face. "Never again!"

And Optimus pulled the trigger.

Or, was about to when an alarm fired and Rafael's voice, now slightly calmer, announced to the four winds:

"_Attention to all residents, Optimus Prime has overstayed his invitation and has refused to politely leave. Escort him from the premises!"_

The air was then filled with the animalistic shrieks of a coming legion of beeterrors. Optimus looked to the exit and then to Megatron. Reluctantly, he transformed his blaster into a hand and gave it to Megatron.

"What is this? Have you suddenly softened your Spark?" even sneering, Megatron took the hand and stood back on his feet. "You think serving as a meal for those aberrations is too much of a cruel punishment for me?"

"No, as a matter of fact, it would be fitting. But I don't believe I can fight my way out of here without help. That is why, and _only why_," he emphasized. "that I am sparing you."

"A truce? Us fighting alongside like brothers because our survival depends on it?" Megatron quirked an eyebrow. They ran out of the arena and saw an army of beeterrors flying from south. "I suppose _that_ is a very good motivator for an alliance."

They transformed, Megatron's process a bit slower than usual due to his injuries, and took their leave. For now they seemed able to outrun their pursuers.

"Not just an alliance, Megatron. A precaution." Optimus said.

"Oh, how so?"

"If we happen to be cornered, I can use you as a living shield. While they devour you, I will make my escape." Optimus said that flatly, like stating a fact. If his intention was to enervate Megatron, he failed miserably for the tyrant barked a laugh:

"Ah, Optimus! I like the way you are thinking. It is precisely what I would do. It warms my Spark to know you are thinking more like a Decepticon." That had enervated Optimus, as Megatron intended.

* * *

The **Beeterrors** are now the size of Insecticons, as Rafael upgraded them so each one could easily stand against a Cybertronian. The next chapter I will introduce other scraplet breeds and give a small resume of the already existing ones.


	18. Chapter 18

**Game-Watch: **– When the Dinobots arrived on New York, they wanted to berserk charge into battle. Alas they had to be sedated.

**Kaleia: **– Thanks about the song. Raf tortured his beeterrors to get the inspiration to write it. But as for trying to reason with Raf…tell me, if the Joker had you tied to a chair and was about to chainsaw you, would you try to reason with him and ask nicely 'please, be sane'? Because that's what it sound you're doing with Raf. The guy is crazy now, you can't just ask him to become sane again, just like that. Just saying.

**Halo is a bad ass: **– No, not the Tremors. The Grindworm is based on the Driller monster of the movie 'Dark of the Moon'. You know that giant worm that Shockwave keeps as a pet and who drilled that building in Chicago.

* * *

**8th April 2034. 21 years and 158 days AE.**

**Northern Territory Desert, Australia.**

For the third time today, Megatron owed his Spark to Optimus Prime. The pair had plowed their way through the legion of Beeterrors when the creatures caught up to them. On two occasions, Megatron's injuries would have dragged him to his grave. But Optimus timely intervened.

"You know, old friend, counting all the times you have saved my husk today, one would believe you are concerned with my survival." Megatron opined conversationally after they got out of another conflict intact.

"Only because I require your help to survive this struggle. The circumstances have made us temporary allies. Nothing more."

"Keep telling yourself that_, old friend_. After all these cycles, you continue nostalgic of old times when we were on the same side of the…" Megatron silenced himself when Optimus pointed a blaster at his face.

"Do not finish that sentence, Megatron." Optimus spoke tensely, like a overextended balloon trying to contain its air. Megatron grunted in response but did as was told. He transformed and took to the skies. "Lead the way, Prime."

Optimus transformed and sped to North, Megatron following high above. Optimus was the one who knew where they were, making him the guide. He purposefully kept Megatron in the dark about their location to prevent the Decepticon from finding his own way of escaping and bound him dependent on Optimus.

Megatron had to admit it was deviously clever of Optimus. "_Indeed, he thinks like a Decepticon_." Next he commented loudly. "It is discerning that we have not crossed paths with the giant Grindworms that your former pet boasted about."

"The Grindworms circle around the board to guard Rafael's domain. He is only toying with us." Optimus replied. Megatron rose an eyebrow in interest:

"I understand why the human would try to _toy_ with me, but why with you?" He reminded himself the Autobots had abruptly stopped using scraplets about seven years ago for some unknown reason. Perhaps now he could learn why. But Optimus was less than forthcoming, not even bothering to answer that.

But Megatron's patience paid off eventually. After fighting another pack of beeterrors, another flashfly appeared projecting the holographic eye of their King.

"_Having a blast blasting my pets now, are you? Note to self: remind myself to next time have fireworks ready._"

Megatron would have crushed this flashfly as he did the other, but Optimus stepped forward and talked. "Rafael, banishing you was a grievous mistake on my part. I see that now. I betrayed the Team and our cause by punishing a friend in need. If you must take your anger on me, do it so for I deserve nothing less.

"But I plead you to listen to the better angels of your nature and cease this purposeless madness against the rest of this world. You were once part of our family. I can return you to the Autobots and find a way to release you from your lunacy."

"Smile!" Rafael's eye shot a laser bolt into Optimus' unprotected left optic, injuring it. As the Prime staggered back, the flashfly flew away broadcasting a poorly made-up song by the mad King:

_I once gave a puppy,_

_to my girlfriend._

_I had it cleaned,_

_all through the end._

_She like it so much,_

_she'd love to wear it._

_So I cut it open_

_and tied the guts_

_all around her neck._

The flashfly flew in circles above the aligned Autobot and Decepticon, the deranged tune getting more and more distant. Megatron looked at Optimus and shook his helm "Trying to reason with a lunatic, Optimus. Truly you don't know when to quit."

"Neither do you, Megatron. Cybertron's state is proof of that." Optimus retorted with laces of irritation, looking at him with a half-functional left optic.

"As the humans used to say, touché." Megatron smirked.

They resumed their voyage to escape this land dominated by a lunatic. Megatron occupied himself pondering what he had just witnessed. Through the human's erratic behavior, Optimus' declaration, he deduced Bumblebee's pet was driven mad by his tampering with scraplets, and for that the Autobots ceased to trust him. Probably the human did something against them they did not appreciate. And only now had they realized what had befallen their pet.

"_A former enemy gone insane with a legion of metal devouring vermin creatures at his disposal is both interesting and concerning._" Megatron thought. "_He is neither on the side of the Autobots or mine. This war may have just become a conflict on two fronts_."

* * *

**Two hours later.**

**Alice Springs, Northern Territory.**

The pair arrived on a solitary settlement, untouched. No signs of scraplet activity and the statues of the cyberformed citizens meant this little place had been left alone since twenty-one years ago. The place reminds Optimus of Jasper, Nevada, now long gone and recycled into raw materials by the Decepticons.

"Perhaps we can find something of use in here." Optimus suggested.

"Perhaps." Megatron uttered. "I propose we scout separated. That way we can cover more space faster and not waste time."

Optimus didn't trust him, but he had to admit every klik was precious. Who knows when another legion of beeterrors may appear, seemingly out of nowhere? Nodding reluctantly, Optimus went his way, taking special care not to step on any of the deceased souls. Megatron scowled at that and proceeded, caring not for how many statues he stepped on and crushed.

Megatron uncaringly busted and pushed aside walls and objects, searching for anything to help escape this nightmarish place. And preferably to do so without the help of Optimus Prime. The very idea of depending on the Prime for his own sake was degrading to say the least. Nigh unbearable and unacceptable.

In his angry search, Megatron nearly ignored something of interest. It was a pedestal reaching little above his knees with an antenna and a keyboard. It was a long-range planetary communication device, cyberformed from a phone booth.

An idea quickly gained shape on the warlord's processor. If he could inform his troops of his predicament…

"_Perhaps I could be the one going home and taking my archnemesis as prisoner_."

Shark-like smirk on, Megatron looked around to make sure Optimus was nowhere near when he approached the device.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

The Lord of the Decepticons had been missing for a day, yet that was not common knowledge. To keep the troops under control, Cyclonus, Shockwave and Soundwave had withheld that information. Officially, Lord Megatron was on a classified mission that would take him an undefined span of time to accomplish.

"Primus curse those Autobots!" the SIC spat, making a dent on the table. He and his two high-rank associates were discussing the situation in the private war council room. Security was so tight they could speak freely about sensitive intel. "They orchestrated the attack and captured Lord Megatron as vengeance for our righteous attack on their capital."

"Your reasoning is based on emotion. Not at all logical." Shockwave argued. "The Autobots lack the ability to invade Skyquakus let alone damage it to that extent."

"Are you listening to yourself? Who else could have done this?" Cyclonus snapped. Soundwave put himself in between, showing several images of the ruins of Skyquakus, taken by a search party sent off there after they lost contact with Megatron.

"Indeed, Soundwave." The cyclops nodded. "The damage is consistent with scraplet markings."

"Scraplets? The Autobots haven't degraded themselves by employing those freaks in solar cycles. Why would they unleash them now?" Cyclonus answered his own question after a thoughtful moment. Stroking his chin, he voiced his train of thought aloud. "Perhaps they have been buying their time, making us believe the scraplets were no longer under their thumb. Then they would launch a massive assault. But our attack on their capital forced them to speed up their plans."

"That would be a more logical tactic." Shockwave nodded.

"Or maybe you guys just need to pull out that stick in your tailpipes about the Autobots." When the fourth voice spoke, the other three had weapons at the ready and turned to see Shockblast, the yellow twin of Shockwave.

"You!"

"That's right, bunny-ears. Me. Couldn't help but overhearing the chat about 'blame it all on the 'Bots'. Seems like a tendency around here, don't you think?"

"You were eavesdropping on a private meeting?" Cyclonus outraged glare turned momentarily to Soundwave, who remained impassive, then back to the intruder. "By all rights, I should have you disassembled for that!"

"Wow. Relax, babe. If I were gonna sell out, would have already done so. The Big M hired me to do my thing, and that's spying. Early today, I was snooping around Autobot's border. Not too far in, though. They have updated their security. Guess they can actually learn from past mistakes. Go figure.

"Anyways, I heard a few things. Like many 'Bots complaining they want payback for the Predabomb we dropped on the capital. Eager as they were to retaliate, – the Dinobots were even sedated to keep 'em contained – they didn't know a scrap about Megs being negs. And one more thing though; the Prime is also negs."

"Have you considered they were aware you were spying on them and fed you misinformation?" Shockwave retorted.

"Have you considered I passed-by all of Soundy's security and came in the meeting like a boss, bro?"

Soundwave's visor beeped and everyone gathered around. "An incoming message? Location unknown. It's Lord Megatron's signal!" Cyclonus exclaimed.

The visor filled with static, Megatron's voice sounding distant. _"…to Ristvak'baen! Can you… Decepticons? Can you read? This is Megatron to Ristvak'baen_."

"We receive you, Lord Megatron. This is Cyclonus."

"_Decepticons, I am stranded on unknown parts of this planet, dominated by one of the Autobots' human pets driven mad, the one who controls scraplets._" The 'Cons shared a stunned look. At least Cyclonus did, the other three was impossible to tell. "_Optimus Prime is on the same situation as I am and we have united forces to survive this Pit."_

"Understood. We will dispatch a rescue team to extract you, at once."

"_A rescue team will do no good against the creatures the human has concocted. You will have to go to extreme lengths to extricate me, as I…done…so_." Static began to take over.

"Your signal is breaking, my liege." Static had returned to take over. "Soundwave, did you track our master's signal?"

The silent one shook his head; he did not have enough time and wherever Megatron was, the place was heavily shielded.

"You all heard our leader, we must get him out of whatever Pithole he is in! If this place is crawling with those disgusting creatures, we must send our strongest asset."

"Agreed. Predacons possess precise tracking instincts and Predaking is the finest specimen in all categories. Knock Out keeps CNA samples of all our key members of the chain-of-command. Though I advise Predaking should go escorted."

"Is Predaking fit for a harsh battle?"

"Yes, he sustained no injuries when he returned with BlackArachnia's shell hours ago."

"Then, make it happen. We will bring Lord Megatron back home and the accursed Prime into his long overdue sentence."

* * *

**Sydney, Australia. Beta Hive**.

The city, which had decades ago being cyberformed into a metropolis fit for giant robots never came to be used by them. The war between Autobots and Decepticons had consumed time and resources that long-range exploration and colonization was an unaffordable luxury. When the war was over, victor would indulge on that luxury. Assuming Earth didn't end up like Cybertron.

Sydney and every other major city in Australia had been shaped into a scraplet hive complex. The scraplet worker drones, which numbered around the millions, devoured the metal cities and made constructions from the yellow wax they regurgitated.

Sydney was now a large oval dome of yellow, with many holes all over. This was a Beta hive, the equivalent of a major city of scraplets, equipped with all the infrastructure required for their survival and uses. Besides the Beta, there were also the much smaller Gamma hives, home to small operations of scraplets whom were assigned specific duties by the Betas.

But the real interesting one was the mysterious Alpha hive…

Back on Sydney, on a makeshift laboratory were three members of a rare and new scraplet breed. They resembled praying mantis with humanoid servos for complex tool wielding. These were called 'Doctor-Mantis', a caste of scientist workers and assistants, smarter and slightly more sentient than all other breeds.

"The King is here." The leader announced and a flashfly flew in, display the expected avatar of their creator and master, the King. Although he who once was Rafael Esquivel entitled himself as 'King', the scraplets addressed him as something else. "Creator, the Beeterrors have delivered the merchandise. What should we do with it?" he pointed to a specific metal frame. The King had made it clear that whomever dared to take a bite out of it would suffer his 'rath'.

"_Well, isn't it __neatily__ obvious? Take it to lab 9, you cheekless wonders!_" the Creator's voice hysterically ordered.

"Uh, okay." one other Doctor-Mantis said hesitantly. "But since when is 'neatily' a word?"

The holographic eye turned to said Mantis, who felt its energon freezing. The King was never physically present. After his injured body was rescued from the debris of his fortress-tower by his faithful swarm and they settled on Australia, the King has remained under the guard of the elite Beeterrors, on a special, mythical, one-of-a-kind hive: Alpha. In there, the King's mangled body was rumored to spend all the time in suspended animation while his mind was hooked up to a supercomputer that allowed him to watch over his domain. Of course, only the Elite Beeterrors who guarded the fabled hive could tell for certain, and they never spoke to any other scraplets.

As far as any half-thinking scraplet could tell, their King was everywhere and anywhere. It only added a bigger dose of fear to the Doctor-Mantis whom now had the King's eye fully focused on him: "_Did you just contradict me, peasant?_"

"Uh…Forgive me, Creator. I was just…"

"_Contradicting me, weren't you?! Know what that means, Doctor Contradiction? I'm gonna have to…LET YOU GO!_" he said the last three words with a specific meaning all scraplets knew and feared. The poor Mantis was terrified and pleaded:

"No, please!"

"_You are FIRED! DISMISSED! DEMITTED!"_ the flashfly's actual eyes shot three laser bolts that blasted the Mantis' head. The dead body fell discarded on the wax floor, looked with horror by the two other Mantises. They were pulled out their stare by another of the King's outbursts. "_Don't just stand there, you slack-jawed _parvos_! Take the merchandise to lab 9 and prepare it for Project Gilded Bee!"_

The Mantises hurriedly dragged the merchandise into the selected laboratory. The flashfly would follow in but a metaroach arrived and declared:

"Creator, there's a problem with the slaves. Their work is getting less and less efficient. Fifty more just died this week. That's twice the number we lost last week."

"_Last time I checked, the slaves can make more of themselves. Have those piles of meat and grease get to it."_

"But takes some time for the slaves to make more of themselves. And rations we give them aren't enough to feed their young. The smaller slaves always die small."

"_Then kill the older, weaker slaves, grind them into food to feed the smaller ones. Now go piss yourself into the ocean__!__ I have work to do._"

* * *

**New York.**

"The Predacon tackled BlackArachnia down. He flamed her and took her for a joyride, then she literally dropped dead. I was too noisy and he spotted me. But instead of going wild-murder-dragon on me too, he just stood there, looking." For the third time Jack retold his story. First he relayed it as a report to Ultra Magnus. Then to Arcee, Miko and Riku. And this time, Riku asked for a more detailed version while the family made their new home in New York slightly more fit for humans.

"Maybe he didn't eat you 'cause he's not into grease." Miko sneered, bringing in a mattress.

"Ignore your mother." Riku had grown amidst parents throwing jabs like these at each other. It was friendly communication, they said. "So he just stood there until I touch his face. Then he just took off out of the blue. It was…weird."

"Hardcore!" Riku shrieked in ecstasy. "My dad touched a Predacon without losing a finger. Neat!"

"More like retarded and suicidal. You're lucky that thing didn't chew you like bubblegum." Miko sounded serious now.

"Speaking like that, you almost sound like you care." That comment earned him a half-friendly punch in the arm.

"Of course I care, dork."

Jack did a half-good job disguising a flinch of pain, which Miko saw through. Damn broken ribs to the deepest part of the Pit!

"Sorry, are you alright?"

"You really _do_ care." he retorted with a tease. Miko's seriousness didn't drop. "Don't worry, Ratchet did a great job patching me up. He says if I don't do anything too exacerbating, I'll be good as new in one month."

"You better. Try anything and I'll have your head nailed to the wall by the ears."

"If Arcee doesn't do that herself, first."

"Parents are weird." Riku had a feeling his presence had been momentarily forgotten by the grown-ups. The moment's awkwardness never came to build up as Girudo chose that moment to came through the door and went for the boy.

"Hey, bud! Having a good time fitting in the new turf?" he scratched the retriever behind the ears, much to the technorganic's pleasure.

Jack felt a sudden sense of relief overwhelm him. To have the family safely reunited was well worth some lousy broken ribs.

If only they had their Prime back…

* * *

Later, Jack was atop of a building watching the sunset. It was almost dinner time and he relished the thought of spending the time with his family. While he was on the run after the fall of Geneva, it never stopped haunting him he might have never see his family. It wasn't the first time he had those thoughts and one would think he would have grown used to these situations by now. But no such luck.

"_And to think I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the Predacon_." Thinking back, during his time fleeing from BlackArachnia, Jack had hoped the Key to Vector Sigma around his neck would have saved him. He paid one more look at it. Why did he even carried this thing when it had been useless so far? Perhaps downloading Prime's memories is all the Key is good for.

His thoughts turned to the Autobot leader, whose whereabouts are still unknown. For now the 'Bots were recovering, catching their breath and reorganizing under Magnus. But Jack saw it on their faces the future is grim without a Prime.

"Optimus Prime, where are you?" he asked wishful for an answer. Then chastised himself for even hoping for it.

His hand felt hot and trembling all the sudden, caused by the Key which started acting up when he said those last words.

"What the!?" his mind was invaded by piercing sensations that were not his. He was traversing a town on a metal desert. But he saw everything from a Cybertronian's point of view, and a tall one at that. A greater shock was when he saw Megatron of all people walking beside him!

"What going on?!"

His mind was hit by another sensation, a small chill that freezes one's moves like when someone sneaking is discovered. "_Jack, is that you?_" a unique voice resonated in his head.

"Optimus, you're alive!"

"_That I am, my friend. But how is that you have contacted me?"_

"It was the Key to Vector Sigma! It started buzzing when I asked where you were."

"_Hum…I see. Jack, listen carefully. I became stranded in Australia in my quest to retrieve the Star Saber, therefore I have allied myself with Megatron._" Optimus must have felt Jack's repulsing emotions because he then said wearily. "_Yes, I find the very notion despicable myself._"

"We will get you out of there, Optimus. Then we deal with Buckethead."

"_Beware for Australia is under the control of and Rafael and the scraplet swarm. And I fear his insanity has only worsened_."

Jack was stunned to hear that, not knowing what to say or feel. He would figure it out for later. "Okay, just hang on there, Optimus. I'll go to Magnus and we'll pull you out."

"_Jack, Rafael created monstrosities to guard his domain. You must…_" just like that, the voice of the Prime faded as did the feeling of being inside his head.

"Scrap!" Jack went for his comm-link and broke into a run to the HQ. "Patch me through to the Commander!"

* * *

**Empire State Building, Autobot HQ**.

"Jack," Ultra Magnus had years ago began addressing him by his first name. Though he wasn't the Autobot closest to the man, they maintained a friendly relationship beyond that of soldier and senior officer. "are you certain this message was real?"

"I was not hallucinating, Commander." He spoke irritably but respectful. Now it wasn't the time to get on the Commander's bad side. "It was not quite a message. It was like our minds were linked for a moment. Due to the Key, no doubt."

Magnus stroke his chin. "According to Teletram-X, Optimus' signal was lost when he apparently crossed into Australia. I had deduced the whole island was jamming transmissions, possibly by the Decepticons. But if Rafael is behind it, it makes matters worse. I will put together a rescue team. In the meantime, you should try to contact Optimus again."

"No can do. I've tried but doesn't work. Maybe the connection is being jammed, too."

"Then you will have to go to the rescue as well."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Magnus."

* * *

Miko's growl was quiet but no less menacing:

"You're leaving. We're having the first family dinner together since the whole Geneva fiasco and you chose to ditch us?"

"Can I come with, dad?" Riku pleaded.

"Go to your room!" the boy didn't dream of disobeying that look. But he didn't pout; Riku Darby never pouts.

"Miko, Optimus needs help."

"And you have to go because you're the _honorary Prime_ who can work the Key-do-hicky." She muttered.

He shrugged a ghost of a smile. "Pretty much, yeah."

"You just wanna be a heroic dork."

"Correction: _have_ to be a heroic dork."

She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and fixing them back on him. "Just promise you won't die. And be careful with those." he dropped her gaze to his lower chest, where the bandages were concealed by clothing.

"Scout's honor. I'll just accompany the 'Bots as the guide. This is a search and rescue mission." His smile died a little then. "There's something you should know and better not tell Riku."

Now her upset glare became curious and he proceeded. "Raf is alive and he's in control of Australia with an army of scraplets. When we go in there for Optimus, I bet we'll run into him."

"Then I'm coming, too." She decided.

"Miko, that's not a good idea."

"Why not?" she challenged him.

"Because you're doing it for the wrong reasons." She exhaled at his retort.

"I have to be there when we go face-to-face with Raf. It's my fault he's like that. I more than anyone else have to make amends. I…said things he didn't deserve to hear." She lowered her head in shame. When Raf was banished from Geneva for endangering little Riku's life, Miko said with every letter he was no friend of hers and to never again come near her or her son. After Riku returned from his dimension-hopping trip, everyone learnt the truth of Rafael's insanity driven by his research. Miko's opinion of him contrasted starkly.

"Miko, if you go, you know Riku will get himself in trouble. Probably he'll even follow us through the groundbridge like his mom used to." He added a bit of teasing but she ignored him. "Besides, I will help Raf. When we bring him here, you can apologize and we can cure him, somehow."

She paused. "Just make really sure you won't die."

* * *

**Arafura Sea.**

Ten kilometers from Australia's northern coast was the closest the groundbridge was able to be opened, right at the end radius of the dampening field. Fireblade's Air Squadron emerged, Jack travelling within the ancient femme leading them. The squadron of helicopter 'Bots had aerial advantage and a powerful leader. But it were Jack's shoulder that carried the only chance of success of this mission.

"No foes in sight." Fireblade scanned. "What now, Jack?"

"_No idea, Captain."_ He looked into the Key. "Come on, Optimus. Answer me."

No reaction.

"How hard is it to find a Prime?" to his surprise, the Key glowed after he made the half-hearted question. "Prime! That's it, I've been asking for Optimus when I should asked for a Prime. Where can we find Optimus Prime?"

The glowed intensified it threatened to blind him and the object floated under its own power. A beam of light was shot from the Key, making a straight line from Fireblade's cabin to south.

"That is something I haven't seem all too often." The old one commented.

"We have our heading."

Unbeknownst to them, the Decepticons were also launching their own rescue team.

* * *

**Timor Sea.**

The Decepticon bridge had the same issues locking on and had to resort opening above the sea. First came Predaking, followed by two other draconic beasts. Cyclonus and Soundwave made an entrance before the bridge closed.

"We have arrived. Now take us to our leader." Cyclonus ordered dryly to Predaking. The creature remained stationary, evaluating all directions before taking off to southeast.

* * *

Optimus and Megatron both have followers looking to rescue them. But neither knows the other has made a call home. Who will get there first? Just so you know, both teams are at a similar distance from their leaders. In the meantime, what is Raf up to?

Please read and review. Especially review. Reviews make me happy and happy writers are more likely to update soon.


	19. Chapter 19

Been a long time since last update, so I had to read the whole story again to be up to speed. There's a big surprise many of you were begging for.

**halo is bad ass: **Okay, I get it now. Thanks for explaining.

**Game-Watch**: Optimus kept rolling for several days non-stop after Predaking. As for crossing the islands…well, he managed to do that because reasons. Been a long time since I paused the work on this story that I lost the hows and whys. Let's just say that when Earth was cyberformed the tectonic plates were tampered with on some places. The islands north of Australia formed path of land in between them. Sorry, that's the best I can come up with.

**Kaleia**: Predaking was tasked to hunt BlackArachnia, nothing more. Plus his 'directive' is to hunt Autobots. He knows Jack is allied with the Autobots but he's no Autobot so he doesn't count. Plus, since Predaking has been revealing a few signs of burgeoning sentience, he was also curious about what Jack was. Remember Skylinx and Darksteel were also curious about Riku in the attack on Geneva.

* * *

**8th April 2034. 21 years and 158 days AE.**

**Sydney, Australia. Beta Hive**.

"_IT'S ALIVE!"_ the King shouted maniacally. A Cybertronian-sized figure rose from the berth, covered in golden armor with dark stripes. The face concealed by a blue visor over the optics and a mouthguard. This was the product of the Project Gilded Bee.

"_Welcome to life, Wasp!"_ the King greeted the creation.

Wasp kneeled before the flashfly that represented his Creator. "My King and Creator, I live and die to serve you."

"_Ah, his first words! How lovely!_" the holographic eye turned to the Doctor Mantis who had assisted the King on Project Gilded Bee. "_If only all were like this._" He said in a reprimanding tone and they lowered their gazes.

"_Now my little wasp, there are two nasty guests who have forged their invitations. Be a good _chico _and eat them for me._"

"At once, Creator." The new scraplet-soldier began to walk out but stopped in his tracks and turned back to him. "My King, may I respectfully ask for a different designation. I believe Wasp is…adequate but insufficient."

The bloodshot eye frowned. The King wasn't happy since that name had been his idea. And the King doesn't like being contradicted. But for the sake of his new, favored creation, he let it slide: "_Then tell, oh beloved son of mine, what do you reckon?_"

Wasp told him of his suggestion and the King's ire was quickly soothed. "_Oh, that one is good! Better than I had thought, in fact. You sure have your father's genes, you. Now go, my little wasp, fly towards victory!_"

And so he did.

* * *

**Katherine, Northern Territory.**

Fireblade's Air Squadron flew south, following the trail of light in the sky. The trail that originated from the Key to Vector Sigma and that would lead them to Optimus Prime. Jack kept looking at the Key, pondering over whatever secrets the object still concealed.

"Contact, at twelve o'clock!" Fireblade declared, pulling Jack out of his thoughts.

"Is it Optimus?"

"Negative. We are picking up simple life-forms, clustered by millions."

"A scraplet swarm?"

"Possibly. They are all on the town just ahead. We might have to fight for our lives."

"Then it's a good thing we have our guns all pointed downwards." said Grindor, the ex-'Con.

"Stay sharp, Autobots."

The helicopter team approached the town that was once Katherine, aiming their guns down should anything come flying up. There was no shrieks of rotating jaws grinding against one another, the familiar sound of scraplets.

"No contacts, nothing is coming." Blades said.

"But something _is_ down there." Fireblade insisted. Indeed from their high position they could see dots moving around.

"Oh, my God." Jack whispered "Captain, put me down there."

"Are you blown a fuse? That down there may be a new class of those metal-shredding pests." Jolt shouted.

"I know they're not."

"Very well." Fireblade agreed and began to lose altitude smoothly.

"Captain!" Blades began but the leader cut him off:

"Remain here and stay alert." She continued to fall, the cyberformed infrastructure grew and the points were spreading and taking shape. When they were already halfway down, Jack repeatedly rubbed his eyes to make sure they were not fooling him.

"They are ... are ..."

"Yes, Jack. Humans."

The city was filled with humans of all ages and aspects. From elders to children, men and women, caucasians to dark-skinned. Jack, who was so amazed, did not care for anything else except the fact that he had found people of his size. That's why he did not notice the fact that these people didn't react to the helicopter that landed in the middle of the square.

Jack jumped out of Fireblade and let tears flow from him eyes and passing the wide grin. Finally, after all these years, he and his family were not the last.

Overflowing with joy, he addressed a woman passing by. "Hello ... I came from far and..." he paused as the woman did not stop to answer, not even acknowledged his presence. "Excuse me, can you hear me?"

She continued to walk as if deaf and blind to him. Jack tried to talk to other people, all who gave him the same reply, or lack thereof. Examining thoroughly, Jack noticed several factors that made no sense. All folks, without exception, walked without speaking or noticing each other. As if they were zombies with no personality, given by the vague expressions on their faces.

"What is going on here? Can anyone hear me?!"

No response. Fireblade transformed and looked at the mindless humans:

"Jack, I believe we'd better move on and focus on finding Optimus. That's our mission."

He looks incredulous and angry at the giantess. "How can you ask me to give up on these people? Have you any idea of how long I hoped to find other humans?"

"I'm not asking you to abandon anyone. Just to remember your priorities. When we rescue Optimus, we will return here. You have my word."

"When we rescue Optimus can have a swarm of scraplets behind us. I cannot let this opportunity slip by." He had to think quickly. The obligation to succor his leader was strong. But the desire to help and communicate with these people was stronger. He looked at the sky and saw the trace of light still shone. "You can reach the Optimus without me while I investigate this place."

Fireblade did not like this plan and argued with Jack. "And if scraplets show up?"

"I can go unnoticed among the crowd. Those bugs don't like leather on their diet, anyway."

She reluctantly submitted, promising that they would return here once Optimus was found. Jack gave her the Key, she transformed and took off. The squadron carried on the rescue mission.

Jack turned to the crowd that completely ignored the giant Autobot. He made his way down the street, noting that there was not one person with presentable clothes. Notwithstanding the filth on his own pants and the holes in his coat, he was presentable enough for a man with his lifestyle. These people wore tattered rags that looked more ready to be burned rather than worn.

Another bizarre thing was that many carried heavy loads. Jack saw a girl of about the age of ten struggling with a full backpack. He helped her despite the girl not noticing he was there. He peered into the bag and was shocked to find that the contents were:

"Energon cubes!"

Then a snappy voice cut in from above him. "Why are you standing there, slave? Go back to work before I have you flayed!"

Jack looked up to see a metaroach buzzing above his head, giving him a disdainful glare. His hand shot up and quickly snagged the creature.

"Listen up, you stinking bug! You are gonna tell me exactly what's going on, right now!" he growled in the bug's face. He kept the creature's mouth pointing down so it could not fire its liquid at his face. The scraplet shrieked in protest:

"You unruly meatbag! I will never talk, no matter what you do!"

Jack walked over to a wall and proceeded to knock the scraplet's head against it, continuously. All the while, the people around droned like the scene of a man beating up a cybertronian pest wasn't happening.

"Alright, I'll talk! I'll tell you whatever you wanna know!" it had taken less than five seconds of 'torture' for the metaroach to figuratively crack. Jack would have rolled his eyes were he not so exasperated for answers.

"Spill it! Who are you and what's going on here?"

"I am the supervisor of this work camp."

"Work camp?" Jack didn't loosen his frown. The more menacing he appeared to be, the more answers he could squeeze out of this freak of nature.

"There are work camps all over the kingdom. The slaves make nutritive metal alloys to feed the Swarm."

Jack was stone silent. That revelation implied many things, but only one struck his realization. A hope he had let die many years ago.

"What do you mean 'all over the kingdom'? How many are there?"

"About a hundred or so."

"What?" Jack made a confused face and gave a quick look around. This place alone seemed to have more than just a hundred people. Then it hit him. "No, not work camps, people! How many people are there? Tell me now!" he shook the creature for further persuasion.

"More or less, 5 million slaves. When the King settled on this continent, he had the Swarm go around the world collecting slaves."

The stunned silence returned with a vengeance. Jack unconsciously loosened his grip on the metaroach. 'Five million' was all that ran in his brain.

For years he had believed humanity was no more, that Riku would be the last child of Earth. But hope had smiled to him for a change. Humanity was diminished, a shadow of its former self, but still lived.

The metaroach felt the flesh vice weakening and attempt to slip out. The grip returned stronger than before, shooting down any hope of escape. Joy subsided, Jack processed what that revelation also implied that wasn't such happy discovery; that what's left of humanity was enslaved in body and mind.

"You're gonna tell me more! Like how did Rafael made these people into mindless zombies?"

"No, I can't! The King would make me the newest chew toy for Beeterrors."

"Your _King_ isn't here. I am." Jack's voice lowered to a close whisper. He had the idea the metaroach would have gulped if it had that function.

"Okay, fair point. The King keeps the slaves in an obedient drone-like trance thanks to the 'it'."

"The 'it'?"

"A ration made from the wax we scraplets regurgitate." Jack's face twisted in disgust. "The King synthesized it to make a human nourishment that keeps the slaves fed, placid and incapable of revolution."

"_Deviously clever and insane. Sounds like something the new Raf would cook_." Jack thought gruffly. This could not be allowed to stand. "Where is this 'it' coming from? Tell me or I'll blast you." He produced his personal gun.

"There." the metaroach pointed to a warehouse within walking distance.

On the way, Jack casted a few glances to the slaves, passing and laboring. Their empty, emotionless eyes made Jack's heart fall. The remnant of mankind, reduced to drones with less of minds than Vehicons.

Upon a closer look, the appearance and noise coming from the warehouse made it more like a working factory. Inside was heavy, house-sized machinery constantly clanging and beeping. A line of slaves, each holding a mug made of scrap metal, walked to a pipe where a gooey, yellow stuff fell into the mug. Immediately, the slaves gorged themselves on the stuff, much to Jack's repulse.

"That is the 'it'."

"Yeah, I figured that out already. How can they stomach that stuff? It smells like rotten garbage." He grimaced.

"The King made it to be highly addicting."

With a groan, Jack looked the other way, his stomach turning up a notch at the sight of the slaves eating the disgusting mix like famished dogs. Again he felt anger; the last people on Earth mentally downgraded to this deplorable state.

"_Insane or not, you have a lot to answer for, Raf_."

Atop the giant machine, he saw a line of elder slaves on a walkway. Their goal, a hatch on the floor that went into the heart of the machine. The old men and women just walked into the pit and let themselves fall in.

Jack felt the faint smell of burning meat. A pinch of dread gripped him. He was almost afraid to ask. "What is _that_?"

The metaroach casted a wary look to the target in question. "A stasis chamber. The old slaves are sent to stasis since they aren't as productive."

"Liar!" Jack pulled the trigger and blasted one of the metaroach's legs, earning a shriek from the scraplet. The appendage fell torched and broken.

"Okay! Okay! It's a recycler that roasts and grinds the old slaves to add their organic matter to the 'it'! The King didn't like the small slaves dying before they could grow up and become fully productive, so he had me cut down the old ones to feed the young ones! That's all I've got, I swear!"

Jack had ceased listening to his captive's pleads for mercy. Nothing he had seen or learnt this day could compare on the horror scale to this.

His mind reverted back to when he met Rafael for the first time. That fateful day when the boy was playing with his toy car while Arcee and him were being chased by the 'Cons. When they hid in a tunnel before Bumblebee showed up, the boy was just...a boy.

"_What are they?"_

_"Talking cars that turn into robots. Or the other way around."_

In those days, that now seemed like a lifetime ago, the idea the boy genius with glasses would one day serve slave children with the grinded, burnt remains of other people was laughable. But Jack didn't feel like laughing. He felt like screaming in rage. And scream he did, blasting the metaroach's head off with two shots.

Then he fired every round he had on the massive machine while screaming like a berserker. The pain in his ribs was nothing to that of his spirit.

* * *

**Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia.**

Predaking was an observant one.

The Decepticon search party flew over a human work camp. Though they might as well be flying over a deserted wasteland because none of them paid it any attention. Cyclonus and Soundwave knew the humans were down there, but didn't pause nor comment on their existence.

Their top and only priority was to find their two-legs-alpha-male, that is Megatron. Unlike some, such as Darksteel and Skylinx, he recognized the name of two-legs-alpha-male that the other Decepticon addressed him as.

The Predacons did gaze downwards but only for a moment. Predaking, who was on the lead, held his gaze for a bit longer than his two compatriots. In his mind, the leader pondered about the lives of those insect humans. They endeavored like drones, working for their pack leader without regard for themselves. They seemed much different than the human he found while slaughtering the spider femme.

That was not how a Predacon lives. Predacons are creatures of freedom and might. Predaking rightfully considered himself the freest and mightiest of beings. He obeyed the two-legs-alpha-male Megatron, yes; but not blindly like those human drones. He obeyed him because his orders were right. As it should be.

Then a tiny part of his mind asked: 'what if that changed?' What if one day the two-legs-alpha-male ordered him to do something he did not want to? If he obeyed such command, would he be any different from the human drones down there? Would he still be a free Predacon? What is a Predacon that is not free to fly wherever it pleases?

One of his brother roared a warning. Predaking looked up and spotted something approaching.

"We have incoming." Cyclonus said. "Ten contacts. Small size, definitely hostiles."

Ten red figures the size of motorcycles were flying on a b-line for them. Mostly, they appeared to be wasps with bladed jaws. But rather than stingers, they had a strange orifice with petal-like structures circling around. The swarm scattered and flew in a circle around the Decepticons and Predacons.

Cyclonus took command. "Everyone, battle positions! We do not know what this breed is capable of." They opened fire, but the bugs evaded both energon shots and flames.

"Our turn! Let's get 'em, fellas!" shrieked one of the scraplets. They were known as webstingers and true to their names, the orifice where a stinger would be on an actual wasp unleashed a thick string of red, sticky, hard web. Cyclonus and Soundwave retaliated with energon shots but it had no effect on the webbing, which now stuck itself to their alt-modes, and began to immobilize them.

Predacons had more success. Turned out the King of scraplets had not foreseen his new breed to go up against fire and the webbing was easily burnt. Predaking then ordered his brothers to release the two Decepticons, while he went to finish off the webstingers.

"This is a big one, boss." A webstinger muttered.

"Then let's cut 'im down a bit." The webstingers were about to fire their webbing but Predaking got ahead and unleashed a storm of flames that incinerated two of them. The other three shot their web strings but Predaking bit the tip and hurled the scraplets away. Then he flew at the disoriented insects and fried them like the others.

The skies echoed Predaking's victorious roar.

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.**

Optimus and Megatron were arriving to another settlement on their way north, after plowing their way through a handful of Beeterror swarms. Tennant Creek was unused like Alice Springs. Either Rafael had just left it be, or perhaps he still had no plans for the place.

"It is getting dark." Optimus noted, looking at the sunset. "The scraplets become more active at night. It is best we remain still and on the lookout on high ground for the night."

"Frankly, Optimus, you underestimate our chances against mere pests."

"Didn't these pests play a successful ambush on you?" Optimus retorted, purposefully reminding Megatron how he had befallen on this forsaken part of the planet in the first place.

"A ruse that I now see coming as I've had experience with that tactic." Megatron approached him with a dark glare. His steps were hampered by a slight limp. His injuries, notwithstanding, he still faced Optimus evenly. "And you, Optimus Prime, better watch out your surroundings. You never know when shadows might stab you in the back."

In the blink of an optic, the Decepticon pushed Optimus aside and stabbed his blade into the shadows. There was a dying shriek and the Prime's optics widened to see a Beeterror's head on the tip of the sword. Immediately he too deployed his swords and the two got back-to-back.

"We're surrounded." Dots of light moved in the ever-growing darkness. The optics of beeterrors watched them hungrily.

"They are skilled in stealth, I give them that." Megatron muttered. "But it's nothing that two old friends cannot finish." He added knowing it would get on Optimus' nerves.

"You lost the right to call me that long ago, Megatron."

The Beeterrors began the onslaught, taking flight in perfect unison and descending upon them both. Optimus blasted two with his cannons. Megatron however could not rely on firepower with his fusion cannon missing, and the sole use of his blade severely impeded his fighting ability. He could still stand against a beeterror at the time, but not against half a whole swarm.

Two of them dived for Megatron and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"We got a big one."

"Lucky scrapper!" One of the captors looked straight into Megatron. "The mini-boss wants a word with ya."

They took off carrying the struggling Decepticon. He would not go like a hunted animal.

"I will grind you to scrap, you vermin!" he tried to stab one of his captors but the other one devoured his blade.

"Megatron." Optimus saw his reluctant ally being taken away. While he fought off the remaining Beeterrors, Optimus wondered whether or not he should go rescue him.

Megatron, on his part, felt a strange sense of deja vu, albeit twisted, when he was brought before a golden mech with black stripes and a concealed face. For some reason, the Lord of the Decepticons' memory told him this was a half-familiar scene.

"Megatron. Prepare to meet your maker, for offending our King." The cybertronian that was named Wasp by his King transformed his arm into a chainsaw.

Then it struck Megatron, he remembered and understood why this feeling of familiarity. "You."

But Optimus appeared on that opportune moment, blasting his way through three Beeterrors and throwing their offline carcasses away. He aimed his blasters at Megatron's captors:

"Let him go, now."

"Optimus Prime, you too will pay for your crimes against the King."

The Prime truly gasped in shock and horror when he immediately recognized the golden and black cybertronian's voice:

"Bumblebee!"

Bumblebee/Wasp launched himself for the attack while the beeterrors held Megatron down. So surprised Optimus was he took a punch in the mouthguard. If this was 'Bumblebee', he had grown a few meters and gained a strength boost.

"Bumblebee, if you are in there, please heed me."

"I don't know who this _Bumblebee_ is, but I won't fall for your tricks, Prime. I am Goldbug, loyal servant and offspring of my King!" the cybertronian that was Bumblebee, was named Wasp, and later renamed himself Goldbug, deployed his own fusion cannon, not as large as Megatron's, but no less potent. A single shot burnt a hole in a metallic rock formation.

"_First Rafael, now Bumblebee. Primus, how many more must we lose?"_ Optimus thought with despair as he had done many times for this war.

Goldbug's second shot hit the ground just before Optimus, propelling him backwards, and he ran to the disoriented Prime to pin him by his arms. Even with enhanced strength, Optimus could have still shaken him off. But that would mean fighting his soldier, his friend. Jazz, Bulkhead, Elita-One, Cliffjumper, Blaster…how many more would be sacrificed to feed this war?

"I will not fight you, Bumblebee. But I beg you to fight this control Rafael has over you."

Goldbug ignored him and, to Optimus' increasing dread, his chest plates transformed to reveal a giant mouth of spinning saw blades like a scraplet's jaws. Goldbug neared the giant horrendous mouth towards him.

Megatron, held back by the two beeterrors who captured him, watched the scene with mixed emotions. Shock for learning this Goldbug was Optimus' former pet lieutenant. Disgust to see what the lieutenant had become. Disappointment for Optimus not fighting back. Rage for the privilege to slay his archenemy being stolen. But injured, unharmed and detained, there was nothing he could do.

At least he would drink on the pleasure of outliving Optimus, even if only by a few moments.

"Optimus!" a voice shouted from above and Fireblade descended and kicked Goldbug away. Her air squadron followed suite, helping their Prime up. Two of them, including that traitorous Grindor, seized Megatron:

"Grindor, I am pleased to see you again, my young turncoat." Megatron gritted his teeth at the ex-Decepticon, who disregarded the insult.

Outnumbered as he was, Goldbug made the only logical choice. "Retreat." His back deployed a pair of jet wings and he took off with the two beeterrors behind him.

"Prime, what should we do with Buckethead?" asked Jolt.

"We can transport him to New York once we pick up Jack." Fireblade suggested and Optimus was about to agree when he gave a sideways look to his captured foe. How many times had they detained Megatron only to have him released later on by a stroke of the Universe?

"No, we will not take prisoners today." Optimus declared. The other 'Bots looked him confused. "Megatron's execution will not be postponed another nano-cycle."

This surprised all the Air Squadron except for the ancient captain who just frowned. Optimus walked towards Megatron, charging up his blaster. The Decepticon glared at his impending executioner, scornful yet fearlessly.

A roar from above halted the would-be execution and the Autobots found themselves surrounded by Predacons and Decepticons. Predaking's optics burnt with fury at Optimus Prime, the one who had tried to slaughter his kin in the battle of Geneva.

"Deliver Lord Megatron to us and I will allow you to live." Cyclonus ordered.

"My loyal Lieutenant and soldiers unexpectedly arrive right in the nick of time. Another familiar scene." Megatron snickered.

Optimus paused for five seconds and nodded to Grindor and Jolt who let Megatron go. His followers received him diligently.

"My liege, should I order the Predacons to annihilate them now?" Cyclonus whispered.

Megatron's first thought was to order so, but he dropped it. The events this day collected changed things.

"No, Commander, not today. Back to Ristvak'baen." He transformed and his soldiers followed suite. The Predacons took flight. But Predaking snarled one last time at Optimus, spitting out a blaze. Optimus could see a burning hatred the beast felt for him. That Predacon was no mere mindless beast, unlike what most believed.

"We are done here. Let us retrieve Jack and return home. Lead the way, Captain." They all transformed, Optimus the only one on the ground.

"Boss 'Bot, this ain't the best time to ask, but how come you got stuck on this pit for so long?" Blades asked.

"As you may know, I was following the Predacon with the stolen Star Saber. He seemed particularly aggravated for my attempt to use the blade to obliterate his army. I gave chase for all these days until I tracked him down to Australia. But when I reached the coast, I saw him flying the other way around, back to the mainland. Before I could turn back, I was attacked by a Grindworm that precluded my escape."

"Grindworm?" Drift interjected.

"A gigantic breed of scraplets with long, limbless bodies. They patrols the borders of Australia and we will have to go by air when we near the coastline in order to avoid them."

"Giant scraplets. Perfect." Grindor grumbled.

"What became of the Star Saber?" Fireblade asked.

"Likely, the Predacon took it away while I was stranded here and will deliver it to Megatron."

"On the upside, we stumbled across some humans. With the hurry to find you, we dropped off Jack there. By now he must have a ton of those guys convinced to come with us." Blades tried to add some cheer.

"I have seen these human camps, Blades. There is no upside today, as Jack has probably learnt by now." Optimus uttered sorrowfully.

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Katherine, Northern Territory.**

The journey to Katherine had been a speechless one. When they reached the work camp, the Air Squadron understood what Optimus had meant. The humans there were nothing more than mindless slaves, no more sentient than the most simpleton of worker drones.

Optimus found Jack sitting on the bolder by the warehouse that he had burnt down. The machine that spilled out the sacrilegious nourishment was no more, yet they continued to labor. Some were beginning to expire for the lack of food.

"Jack, we must leave." Without a word, Jack entered Optimus' cabin and they took off. He didn't dare to look to the mirrors and see that cursed town again. It was all a bad memory.

"Thank you, Jack. For finding me."

"You're welcome." The man responded bitterly.

About an hour passed, it was late night when Jack finally sighed:

"For just a moment, it felt like having my old world back. In less than five minutes I realized it was all gone again."

"You're not the only one who has lost something precious today, my friend." Optimus gave his own sigh. "But I vow to you, we will accomplish everything in our reach to save your kind." As they neared the coastline, Fireblade carried Optimus with grappling hooks and the group flew out of the nightmarish Australia.

* * *

**Sydney. Beta Hive.**

"I am sorry to fail you, my King. I have no excuse for my failure and I will accept whatever punishment you deem fitting." Goldbug bowed on one knee to the flashfly.

"_Good to hear it, my little wasp. Be at peace, for ye are not fired from duty. But rather, I have to cut your allowance._"

The flashfly fired a powerful burst of lightning that inflicted terrible pain on Goldbug. The half-cybertronian, half-scraplet mutant that once was Bumblebee let out wails of agony. Even though he felt he deserved such punishment, the pain was still too much to hold it in. While he contorted and whined, Rafael's pitiless eye just watched.

* * *

**9th April 2034. 21 years and 159 days AE.**

**Alberta-Montana border. Canada.**

After the two-legs-alpha-male Megatron was delivered to his den on Ristvak'baen, Predaking flew his way to his secret nest. While his Predacon brethren patrolled the skies of the Decepticon domain, Predaking could afford to fly freely. He had enough brothers and sisters to cover for his absence.

He flew with the wind and sun at his back, always certain he was not being followed by Predacon, Decepticon or Autobot, until he arrived at his destination. It was a nest made of large pieces of metallic rubble inside a cave. This was his personal secret nest that no one was aware of, not even his brethren.

Inside Predaking gazed upon his latest trophy: the Star Saber. Lying on the center of the nest, the blade didn't gathered rust or scratches during its journey on Predaking's jaws. He knew the Megatron would want the blade for himself. But Predaking felt it belonged to him alone. He had taken it from the Prime. Therefore it was rightly his.

* * *

This was something I had been looking forward to for some time. Many of you wanted more humans to be around, but I wanted this fict to still be a **dead-end** for **humanity** so I compromised. If you hate me for it, well that's your opinion.

This also serves to show how much more evolved **Predaking** is from his compatriots. He shows curiosity, interest and cunning. **Darksteel** and **Skylinx**, on the attack on **Geneva**, gave their own designations to things such as **Megatron**, **Ristvak'baen** and didn't know what a human is. But Predaking can recognize names, thus showing he's evolving more and more every day.


	20. Chapter 20

**Kaleia**: In the aftermath of the assault on Geneva, Bumblebee was persecuted and blinded by Barricade, remember. In chapter 18, the scraplets brought his comatose body to Sydney where Rafael began Project Gilded Bee. The project consisted in brainwashing Bumblebee and fit him with improved armor, weaponry and capabilities.

**HubrisP**: That is an amazing idea. I don't know If I'll do it but if I do it will be much later. I'll give you credit for it. And I'm glad some readers keep the story up to date, like the enmity between Bar and Bee.

**AVFireBlade9472**: Elita died in the last days of the War for Cybertron, just to add a little more sour to Optimus' life. Sorry.

* * *

**11th April 2034. 21 years and 161 days AE.**

**New York, Autobot capital.**

"Apologize for what, sir?" Ultra Magnus had asked, puzzled.

Optimus had driven through the streets of the newly declared capital with a heavy Spark. Every Autobot that survived the onslaught on Geneva resided here now. Those who had been captured were timely rescued by Fireblade's squadron. He had given his congrats to Ultra Magnus for keeping the Autobots going during his absence. And then he apologized to his SIC, which had prompted the 'Bot to inquire why the apology.

"For going in pursuit of my sword and abandoning my soldiers when they needed me the most." He had replied.

"Optimus, sir, you don't need the Star Saber to be our leader. And nobody says you abandoned us."

Two days after his return, Optimus was now to meet Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who had done some recon on a distant Autobot outpost on Europe.

At the headquarters, Empire State Building, he saw the two brothers with minor scratches and dents, signs of a small skirmish they survived. He had already been assured they were fine, or else he would have asked. Plus, these two weren't the most social Autobots.

"What have you uncovered?"

"A total wreck, no survivors. Outpost Alpha-7 has been scrapped and looted. And not by the 'Cons, unless those fraggers have taken a sudden liking to chew metal." Sunstreaker's report needed no more said.

"This is the third time Rafael has attacked us." Optimus resumed.

"Maybe he has lost control of his scraplets. We don't know for sure he is behind these attacks." Magnus suggested. It still sounded preposterous to the Commander and many others that their once trusted ally had become a deranged enemy.

"I know, old friend. If he has done what he did to Bumblebee, he would do this as well."

A moment of silence followed at the mention of the ex-lieutenant. Optimus cut it short to get back on business. The time for mourning had long passed.

"What was stolen?"

"The energon was untouched. But all the equipment was taken. All of it." Sideswipe said.

Outpost Alpha-7 was a mining operation for rare alloys. Its assets consisted of multi classes of advanced drills and ground-scanning computers. There were no weapons, nothing that could be used for warfare. Yet Optimus didn't feel any less preoccupied.

"What could Rafael be planning to do with that?"

"Perhaps another question should be: is Rafael our enemy now?" Magnus voiced. "Between holding Optimus prisoner, trying to offline him multiple times and turning all that remains of his species into mindless slaves, we can all assume he's no longer acting in our favor."

"Even though he kidnapped Buckethead and tried to turn him into scraplet chow?" Sunstreaker crossed his arms and Magnus looked at him:

"Sometimes, the enemy of our enemy is just another enemy."

"I have to agree, Commander." Optimus sighed. "Rafael is no longer our ally. Though he may stand not in favor to Megatron, he still stands against us. These looting assaults on our bases are a declaration of war. As much as I detest saying this, we now have a war on two fronts."

"Maybe not quite, Prime." Interrupted a newcomer. It was a yellow Autobot with blue highlights, not particularly tall. A noticeable characteristic were the two triangular, short antennas on his helmet. Every other 'Bot in the room looked at him. "I am sorry to come without permission, but my staff just intercepted several signals. We learnt something you may want to hear."

"Speak your piece, Radiowave."

Radiowave was the new chief of communications and intelligence gathering since Blaster fell on Geneva. Though young, the mech had proven to be a great asset for his know-how in cracking encrypted signals.

"It appears Rafael is stinging the 'Cons more than he is us. Over seven Decepticon operations scattered across their Imperium have been hit and raided."

"Now that's something I like hearing. Let that crazy fleshy pick a fight with Megatron. When they're brawling, we hit Buckethead when his back is turned."

"That is enough, Sideswipe." Ultra Magnus berated.

"Do we know what Rafael looted from the Decepticons?"

"We don't know much, sir. But we know some of these bases and warehouses contained laser-shielding technology and four superheat plasma cannons." Radiowave showed the holographic 3D image of what a human would compare to a 19th century cannon. Only this one was cybertronian in nature with blue lines of energon running along.

"From us he took our best drilling gear. From the Decepticons he obtained weaponry based on superheating and a device capable of protecting a small squadron from continuous enemy fire." Optimus resumed.

"Do you have an idea what he plans, sir?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Rafael is, above all, insane. Everything he has accomplished since his descent into madness has been nefarious to life and more twisted than my imagination can conceive. I am certain it won't be different this time. There is no doubt this war has become three-sided."

* * *

**Seattle, Decepticon Imperium.**

Megatron was not happy.

The slow walking, head slightly tilted forward gave him a shadow on his face. He casted off an invisible aura of barely restrained anger that every Decepticon recognized. Reason why every one of them stepped backwards slow and quietly when Megatron passed by.

The sight that instigated such feelings on the warlord was a warehouse crumbled into ruins. The entire structure seemed to have been devoured at the base. It didn't take Shockwave's genius to identify the cause.

"This is the ninth attack we have endured by that deranged human vermin and his abominations." Megatron's tone was eerily calm, an ominous sign.

Then he turned to his minions, bellowing: "Can I not even rely on you to swat an insect's insects?!" the echo was heard all the way to the other end of the city.

No answer; none present had a deathwish, after all. Vehicons began picking the place clean of anything that could be salvaged. Megatron retreated to speak more privately with Cyclonus who claimed to have information that might interest him.

"My liege, Soundwave has just told me he has listened in on an Autobot communiqué. It appears the human vermin has raided some of their assets, too. The items in question were, however, no weapons of any sort. Merely extensive mining equipment. In terms of resources, we suffered a bigger loss, unfortunately."

"You fail to grasp the situation, Commander." Megatron barked, silencing his SIC with a glare. "Even if the Autobots had suffered ten times more raids than us, the issue would still be standing that the human dared to steal from us. This is nothing less than a declaration of war on his part."

"A war we can win, my liege." Cyclonus said with certainty. "Our Predacons have fared quite efficiently against the human's creations."

"Words easy to speak, very hard to accomplish." Megatron spoke hotly. "We're already embroiled in this eon-long conflict with the Autobots. And now, Primus damn it, we have a war on two fronts." Megatron clenched his clawed servo. Just the thought of that Rafael Esquivel made him want to blast something to dust. He should have let that fleshling suffocate on Cybertron when he had the chance!

He called Shockwave, who was back on Ristvak'baen watching the Predacons. "Shockwave, I want you to dedicate every moment of your time to conceive anti-scraplet means of warfare. This war has just become three-sided."

* * *

**12th April 2034. 21 years and 162 days AE.**

**Darby Residence, Manhattan.**

Jack was mentally and physically fatigued.

Physically, because of the rescue mission for Optimus on Australia and healing ribs. Mentally, due to the unexpected discovery of a whole human community enslaved right down to their very minds. Knowing the enslaver was a damned friend he had thought dead only added to the mental weariness.

He sat heavily on a chair, watching the sun set through semi-closed eyes. A laugh bursting with joy and energy attracted his sight to a boy and a technorganic golden retriever.

He smiled as a bit of the mental exhaustion evaporated. It was comforting to remind himself he wasn't the only free human.

Riku ran and leaped, playing with Girudo. It was hard to tell which one was more energetic, the boy or the technorganic dog. Miko came out of the house and joined him.

"I missed this." he confessed.

"What? Watching Riku's impression of a monkey?"

"Kinda." He chuckled. "Just seeing him goofing, chasing Girudo like a normal kid." His expression became much darker and Miko took notice. Her eyes wandered to the Key to Vector Sigma that Jack brought around his neck now.

A loud laugh from her son dragged her gaze back to him.

"We should tell him about..." She trailed off. They had agreed not to tell Riku about the enslaved millions of people on Rafael's clutches. Jack didn't want his son feed the dream of meeting other humans, only to have it stripped away. Besides, Riku was happy enough without other boys and girls of his age.

Jack shook his head. "No, we shouldn't. Imagine if he gets ideas of rescuing those people. We don't even know if we can cure them from that brain-drugged state."

An engine all too familiar roared and they turned to see Arcee parking by and transforming.

"Yo, 'Cee." Riku was the first to greet her.

"Yo yourself, sparky." The femme smiled at the ball of energy. Her smile faded when she looked at the grownups. "Just came by to tell you Optimus tried again to contact Rafael, asking him why he had raided our bases and to speak with him, peacefully."

"Anything new this time?" Jack asked.

"Only that Optimus said this would be their last attempt to meet him in equal terms."

"And the answer?"

"The same as before." Arcee muttered. "Rafael sang that sick, made-up song about a girlfriend and a puppy."

A pregnant pause took over that not even Girudo cut off with his barks. Riku, at last, asked the question that everyone had, his tone now somber: "What now?"

"Optimus is still unsure, but ultimately that's for him to decide, kid." Arcee said.

"And if we know the Boss 'Bot, he's already cooking up a way to bust in Australia and free those people. That's how Prime is." Miko said with a small smirk.

* * *

**An hour later.**

**Manhattan, Ratchet's workshop.**

Optimus looked at the miniscule, human-sized pod, designed by Ratchet and built by minicons.

"You believe this could hold a human in stasis for an indefinite amount of time, old friend?

"Quite certain, Optimus. I based it on the Insecticon stasis pods. And with the minicons, we can manufacture over a handful of thousands of these pods in the span of two days."

"That is good. If we are to release the enslaved humans and bring them here, they will have to be kept in suspended animation until a cure for the addiction can be discovered."

"Is freezing all those people the best option?"

The two surprised 'Bots turned around to see Riku standing by the walkway, leaning against the wall. Recently the boy had gained the habit of sneaking in, partly inspired by his part-time soldier parents.

"Riku..." Optimus began but Ratchet interjected.

"Ep, ep, ep! How did you learnt of the humans on Australia?" The medic was sure that secret had been kept among himself, Miko and everyone who had been to that defunct nation. Possibly the Decepticons knew, but that was uncertain at the time. No one else should know the human race was not quite extinct.

"I just overheard my parents talking about it last night when Dad came back home. Didn't tell them I'm the know, though. Now back to my question."

"Riku, putting those people in stasis is our only option. We don't have any landmass wide enough to sustain such a large human population until we can discover a cure and end this war.

"Once we cure those people and free your world from the tyranny of Megatron, we can liberate your people in the 'earth-puddles' scattered across the planet." Optimus finished. It was a far-off hope he carried to one day revive the human race, if only a sliver of it. That wish was only eclipsed by his desire to revive Cybertron, even if now it seemed so far away like his homeworld itself.

"If Uncle Raf doesn't hunt them down and drags them back to his turf." Riku retorted.

Optimus counter-retort was left unspoken when the earth shook violently and without warning. Riku nearly lost his balance and had to hold on to the walkway. The Autobots, with their size not meant for Earth's gravity, both fell and choose wisely to remain down. The tremor lasted only about ten seconds, not too violent. The stasis pod was undamaged; the same could not be said of the many broken tools scattered on the floor.

"I needed all of that." Ratchet groaned.

Optimus went for his comm. "Smokescreen, come by Ratchet's workshop and take Riku home, at once."

"_Coming up, Optimus_."

The Prime wasted no time transforming and speeding to HQ.

* * *

**Empire State Building.**

When Optimus arrived on the HQ and met Radiowave and Perceptor, two other earthquakes had struck.

"The epicenter was in the Decepticon Imperium, place the natives used to call Yellowstone." Radiowave showed the 3D holomap of what appeared to be a plain, almost round surface on the metal ground. "It's originating right on top of the caldera. Our satellites cannot get a fix on the activity there, but the cause is definitely there."

"If the earthquakes are reaching New York, certainly they are affecting Ristvak'baen and all of Megatron's domain. The Decepticons may already be there accessing the situation." Optimus deduced. He had a dreadful feeling on the pit of his Spark he knew what was causing this unpreceded events.

Another earthquake struck, this time three seconds longer than the last and seemingly more violent.

"Optimus, I have more bad news." Perceptor tapped frenetically on the mainframe of Teletram-X. "I estimate the earthquakes will increase in magnitude and duration exponentially if what is happening on Yellowstone is not stabilized. This will climbing up until that supervolcano erupts."

"And if that comes to pass?" Optimus asked with a dark glare. Like virtually the rest of the planet, Yellowstone was cyberformed. So whatever liquid circled beneath the caldera, it couldn't be magma, could it?

"Insufficient data to know." Perceptor shook his head. "But I recall Yellowstone was a supervolcano that, should it erupt, humans believed it would provoke a massive loss of life on Earth. The volcano is most definitely cyberformed, but without more information I cannot device what could happen. Though I'd wager it would be quite nefarious."

Optimus knew what to do. It was risky to go into enemy territory without planning ahead. But the situation demanded so. He called Arcee, Ratchet, Smokescreen and Wheeljack, the remaining members of Team Prime.

"Team, we will dwell deep into enemy territory to prevent a debacle that could ravage the entire planet."

"And if the 'Cons are there, you think they will just invite us in?" Wheeljack crossed his arms.

"That is why we will groundbridge at a safe distance. If the Decepticons are there, they won't see us right away. What happens then, depends on the situation."

"Making up as we go along. I like it!" the Wrecker bumped his fists together.

"But why only us, Optimus? Going into enemy territory facing an unknown disaster, shouldn't we take reinforcements? A combiner, perhaps?"

"Scaredy cat, much?" Wheeljack grin and Ratchet responded with a deep frown:

"No, it's called 'taking precautions', Wheeljack. Something Wreckers are not known for."

"Whatever."

"Autobots," Optimus put an end to the argument. "I do not think this situation can be solved with heavy force."

Perceptor opened a groundbridge to the spot, since the place had no dampener field on it. Before Optimus departed, he received a call from Jack:

"_Optimus, I just found out Riku knows of our... _discovery_ in Australia._"

"Indeed he has. I just learnt that myself. Jack, I believe you and Miko ought to talk this over with your son. He should have not been kept in the dark."

* * *

**Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.**

The team rode in to find themselves surrounded by cyberformed trees. The sounds of firearms and battle cries was well heard.

"Autobots, maintain stealth."

Under the cover of darkness of the night, they moved out to the edge of the dead forest, There was the round surface, the caldera, that was the epicenter of all the pandemonium.

Decepticons were battling a squadron of Beeterrors with everything they got, and losing. Megatron was taking part of the battle, battling with a rage that was frightening, even for him. His optics glowed purely purple when he blasted a hole through a foe's torso.

"_I had suspected Rafael was behind this_." Optimus mentally sighed.

"'Cons are getting their afts handed to them." Wheeljack commented. "Dunno if we should intervene or not."

Smokescreen pointed. "There's your answer."

The caldera itself was being victim of a Optimus-sized drill pointing down, supported by four equidistant legs. The spinning drill carried four cannons that shot superheating beams of plasma into the target, thus improving the drill's performance. The machine itself was operating under the protection of the red, semi-transparent barrier, a laser shield.

"That is the drill Rafael stole from Outpost Alpha-7 plus the plasma cannons and the laser-shield he took from the Decepticons!" Ratchet surmised. "_This_ is what he was planning."

"But why?" Smokescreen asked. "Shake things up just to pass the time?"

"Forget why, let's crash this party. All I know is that thing is wreaking havoc. I say we shut it off, ask question later." Wheeljack rattled his sabers. They looked to their leader for an a decision.

"Autobots, into battle."

The 'Bots advanced through the right flank, catching the Beeterrors by surprise. Some of the Decepticons pointed their barrels at the newcomers. Megatron thundered:

"FORGET THE AUTOBOTS! EXTERMINATE THE SCRAPLET VERMINS!"

It was a alliance on a verbal, heat-of-the-moment contract. Autobots and Decepticons fire and sliced from both sides at the defenders of the machine. When they got some breathing room, Optimus went up to Megatron.

"By the AllSpark, what is happening?"

"This is your pet's work, Prime!" He pointed at the caldera. "Stellar cycles ago we learnt that the cyberforming transformed that supervolcano to a reservoirs of super-concentrated Dark Energon. So dark Shockwave fears it could poison the entire planet should it erupt. And now your vermin is attempting to cause just that!"

"_That's right, Big M&amp;M and Big O-oh_!" Spoke a screechy voice and Rafael's flashfly flew by. "_Good to know you made it to the party, my _chicos_!_"

"Rafael, cease this madness! You are threatening to destroy the entire planet!" Optimus demanded.

"_That's the point, Prime-boy! See, I just recalled today is my birthday. Of course, none of you remembered that. Shame on you, by the way_." He made a mock-angry tone. "_So I had this wonderful idea: fireworks. Purple clouds reigning shiny purple energon all around the world. With so much fireworks, no one will ever again forget it__'__s my birthday. Then we can all have a party!"_ He finished that in a cheerful demented tone.

"You insignificant pile of organic matter! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO DESTROY **MY WORLD** ON A PATHETIC WHIM!?" Megatron's aimed his cannon and the flashfly flew away.

Optimus turned back to the battle, which was more or less won. The Beeterrors were being decimated, but he could feel the Dark Energon affecting him even if it was under solid metal. It must be very concentrate, indeed, to inhibit him at such distance.

"Ratchet," he went to his medic. "can you think of a way to break the laser-shielding?"

The Decepticons were trying to break down the shield with their firepower with no success.

"I can only theorize that concentrated fire on a single spot would do more damage than scattered blows."

Optimus turned to Megatron. "You must call out your Predacons if we are to stop this."

"I do that because it is _my_ decision, Prime. Not because _you_ suggested." He did called the beasts, who emerged from a groundbridge and prepared to unleash their combined fire on the top of the shield.

Suddenly, another groundbridge opened and a new wave of Beeterrors came out, all tackling the Predacons. While the primal beasts were bigger and more powerful, the scraplets outnumbered them. Plus they had their own General, Goldbug, who jumped out of the vortex before it closed.

"Bumblebee." Optimus said.

"So that is what Raf turned him into." Arcee spoke with anger and sadness mixed. Smokescreen looked with heavy optics at his friend and something akin to a brother.

Goldbug ignored them completely and attacked a Seeker Decepticon, bursting his head with his fusion cannon.

"You will all suffer the King's righteous wrath."

"Long time no _see_, little bee." Goldbug halted when he heard that voice. For some reason this voice he didn't remember ever hearing before made him angry. Very angry.

He turned to see the owner of the voice was a stockymech. The sight of the mech fed his anger more.

"Megatron told me about what your pet did to you. Never thought you'd sink so low to bow down to a bug." Barricade made his usual taunting jab before battle. Goldbug let out a warcry and launched himself at him.

Barricade received a punch on his palm, blocking it. But Goldbug's other fist connected with the veteran gladiator's chin and he was tossed back. Standing back up, he massaged his chin with a slight surprised look:

"You're packing a bigger punch than I recall, little bee."

Goldbug aimed his fusion cannon and fired. Barricade dodged and produced his hammer, getting close enough to Goldbug and hurling in the right moment at his chest. But Goldbug's chest split open and an enormous scraplet mouth devoured the warhammer, much to Barricade shock.

"That's never happened in the arena."

On his side, Optimus saw everything turning to worse. The shield was still active and everyone was too much engaged on their personal fights. The earthquakes were getting worse. The ground was splitting apart, giving out a purple radiance from the cracks.

_"If I had the Star Saber... I could rip the shield and the machine apart with a single blow._" It seemed only a relic of immense power could save them from this nightmare.

"_Optimus, sir, you don't need the Star Saber to be our leader._" Leader? The Matrix of Leadership!

He brought a servo to his chestplates, trying to focus. The Matrix was never meant to be a weapon, but the legends said it could bend to its wielder's wishes, as long as he or she proved worthy of keeping it.

He imagined himself destroying that machine, saving the planet that was his new home.

"Optimus, if you're going to do something, you better do it now!" Ratchet urged.

A beam of white shot out of Optimus' Spark chamber and hit the laser-shield, piercing it and obliterating the drill. The explosion that followed halted all the fights and when the smoke cleared, the caldera was cracked but still intact. The cracks closed themselves and the shaking subsided. Calm settled in and Optimus fell on his knees, physically and mentally drained.

"_What the hell, Prime?! You had to be a little bitch and ruin my fireworks! Party pooper, no cake for you!_" Raf's flashfly opened a groundbridge and Goldbug and the surviving Beeterrors retreated.

"Optimus, speak to me!" Ratchet ran to his leader and helped him up. Arcee, Smokescreen and Wheeljack joined them just before the many blasters were pointed at them by the outnumbering Decepticons.

"Scrap! Can't we get a break?" Arcee asked no one in particular. She couldn't believe they had just saved the world (and these ungrateful 'Cons) just to get shot!

"Stand down, Decepticons." Against all expectations, Megatron was sparing them? He walked up to the Autobots, his optics now back to red.

"Now that our mutual enemy has been defeated, we stand enemies again." Megatron smirked. "However, I am feeling uncharacteristically generous enough to let you go."

That revelation stunned everyone present, but Megatron ignored that. Arcee wasted no time calling for a bridge back to New York before he changed his wicked mind. Ratchet and Wheeljack carried Optimus on his shoulders.

"Megatron, that wasn't the smartest move, letting them go." Barricade scolded, his hand injured in the fight with Goldbug.

"Now that we have a new enemy, Optimus Prime may become more useful to me alive. For the time being."

* * *

**13th April 2034. 21 years and 161 days AE.**

**Communications Central, New York.**

Radiowave gave the signal. "We're ready for you, Prime."

Optimus stepped onto a platform that recorded his image and projected on the holographic communicators of all Autobot territory.

"Calling all Autobots, this is Optimus Prime." Every 'Bot on eastern USA and the outposts on Europe was listening to their leader.

"Rafael Esquivel, our former ally and comrade, has turned against our cause and lashed out at us in unprovoked attacks. For endangering this world, for enslaving his own people, I now declare war against Rafael and the Swarm. We will treat Rafael Esquivel and all of his allies, soldiers and servants as we would any Decepticon enemy. As of right now, this war has become three-sided."

* * *

**Yellowstone National Park.**

The caldera was still holding and no dark energon had erupted. If this was to be the cause of a planetary-wide catastrophe, it would not be today. But while none of the dark substance had been expelled out, cracks had opened underneath and the liquid was drained to the bowels of the planet.

Hours passed as the dark energon found it way deeper into the planet's metal layers. Soon it reached a layer surrounding the core. This layer had veins on its surface filled with raw, blue energon. These veins then traveled from the layer to the surface of the planet to feed the oceans and rivers of raw energon. This cocoon sieging the core was what produced the lifeblood of the Cybertronian race.

But the dark energon, by a stroke of bad luck, didn't fall into the blue veins, where it would harmlessly dissolve into the heavily concentrated blue radiance. Instead it went through a crack and passed the cocoon. It had reached the dead, slumbering core and once it touched it, the super-concentrated dark fuel was instantly absorbed.

"**I…I awaken!**" Unicron's anti-spark bellowed.

* * *

**Raf's** little shenanigan has awoken the **Big Bad** and nobody knows, yet. **Megatron** and **Optimus** both believe this was has become three-sided when it's actually closer to four-sided.


	21. Chapter 21

**Kaleia:** I'm surprised on the previous chapter you didn't scolded Megatron for claim Earth is _his planet_ when he bellowed to Rafael.

**Halo is a bad ass**: Omega Supreme was supposed to have 'appeared' on this chapter against Ratchet, but I cut it out for something else.

**Zyon**: As you'll see on this chapter, Rafael doesn't have to worry about aging anymore. Besides the Cybertronians were never experts on biosciences. Genetics of organics are not a subject they're familiar with. So no, they can't do that.

**NOTES**: I did say this chapter is based off on a DC comic story and it's a Green Lantern story called 'The Blackest Night'.

Quick reminder; **Solar cycle**=1 day. **Stellar cycle**=1 year.

* * *

**19****th**** April 2034. 21 Years and 169 days AE.**

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ/Capital.**

In Megatron's private quarters, the warlord recorded his journal.

"This three-sided war continues to spiral out of control. Following the Swarm's attempt to wreak a supervolcanic eruption of Dark Energon, I had hoped we had seen the last of that human, hence I could focus on crushing Optimus Prime. Alas, he proves to be a pest hard to exterminate." He growled.

"In the last 7 solar cycles, the Swarm attacked two of our coastal cities with utmost brutality. No prisoners made, no building left undamaged. In spite of such outcomes, they didn't bother to occupy or raid those cities. The human isn't creating an empire; this is not conquest, it is terrorism. A part of me beneath all my rage feels... nostalgic. I recall the young Decepticon revolution when I staged the so-called 'terrorist' attacks on that ineffectual government of those spineless bureaucrats of the High Council."

Megatron would never speak so emotionally to anyone but himself. Part of keeping a strong grip on his followers was the appearance that frightened them. And the appearance they had of him was a ruthless leader with no sentiment.

"But this terrorism is nothing like I did in the past!" Megatron's rage returned. If anyone could hear him now, they would assume he was a patient on a psychiatrist session. "I destroyed the past to create a better future. The worm-spawn is destroying just for the Pit of it!"

He paused and walked towards the round window that opened to show the vast landscape surrounding the fortress. In recent stellar cycles the Decepticons had made Ristvak'baen impregnable, more so after they lost New Kaon. Three tall walls circled around the fortress and its small citadel, armed with the deadliest weapons, enough to take on Metroplex and Omega Supreme.

Megatron passed a servo through the hard glassed window, like caressing the view.

"Would circumstances be ordinary, we would now be gearing up for the eventual retake over of New Kaon, that the Autobots have disgracely returned its human name. But the Swarm's interference has forced me to delay my ambitions. The more times passes, the more I think of returning the favor by having the Predacon army and the Nemesis burn down half of Australia. Perhaps all of it."

He had more than considered it, he had daydreamed it. To melt those accursed scraplets and their breeder off the face of his planet. But the Predacons were still mostly untested against scraplets, as the three that had gone to rescue him were the best of the best. It was still uncertain if the average Predacon could take on a swarm of Beeterrors. And Megatron doubted even their might could overcome the titanic Grindworms.

"If there is a positive side to this is that the Autobots are facing a similar dilemma." He grinned. "Knowing Optimus Prime for the bleeding Spark he is, undoubtedly he will attempt to save the human slaves that Cyclonus informed me of." During his time on that wasteland, Megatron saw no evidence said human survivors existed, but only because, he deduced, Optimus had kept him from those places. "Perhaps if he exhausts his resources doing that and fighting his former pet, I may make my move. Better to have two enemies at each other's throats than a strong ally by your side against a strong enemy."

Megatron's musings were cut off by a beeping from his own systems. It was a warning his power was running low and he needed to recharge.

"End recording and save." He commanded the computer. Taking a final look outside, the sun shined brightly. Unlike humans and other creatures of this planet no longer alive, Cybertronians don't quite have sleep cycles and can recharge at any needed or desired time.

He closed the window, lied down on his large berth and powered down. Cybertronians seldom dream, but today Megatron would experience a short nightmare.

Darkness. All around him was darkness.

Then he felt a presence. This vast, mighty, terrifying presence was the darkness itself!

A blast images and sensations blew in his mind. Purple lights! Darkest dread! Earth becoming enveloped in purple! The sudden final sparkbeat that precedes the last step towards death! A pair of purple eyes flashing open!

With a startled roar, Megatron awoke from his nightmare. A part of himself asked if it had been a nightmare in the first place.

* * *

**Honor Cemetery, New York.**

Optimus Prime walked through the statuettes on pedestals that honored their dead Autobots brethren. When an Autobot died, not all of its molten husk was recycled. A small figurine - in Cybertronian's case, 'small' is human-sized - was fashioned from the material in the likeness of the deceased.

The Autobots who returned to the ruins of Geneva were glad to see the cemetery there had mostly been left undisturbed. The Predacons had been more eager to break and melt living Autobots than dead ones. When it was deemed safe, the figurines were brought to the new capital and arranged in a new place to be honored.

Seeing these figurines often made Optimus remember those who were no longer here, obviously. He used it as way to never forget how many people he is fighting for.

Walking between two rows, he spotted an Autobot staring at a specific statuette. The statuette was one the Prime would never forget and came to see every time he entered the cemetery.

"Prowl." He greeted.

"Optimus." The former law officer replied in kind. "You came here to pay your respects, sir?"

"No, I stand here to remember."

"As do I." Prowl looked back at the human-sized likeness of Jazz. During their travel to Earth, Jazz and Prowl's ship, the Style Gal, had been attacked by Decepticons. The Autobots came victorious but lost their commander. Jazz's husk was afterwards brought to Earth where it was molten down. Jazz's figurine was giving a thumbs up and a grin, which Optimus always thought perfectly in character.

"Amusing that it represents Jazz exactly like he had been in life." Optimus noted with a ghost of a smile.

"If he were here, he would only whine that his statuette doesn't have 'half as much style' as he did." Prowl muttered, but beneath his cool, passionless voice was a tint of nostalgia. He and Jazz had been stark contrasts among the first Autobots. Jazz said Prowl was a by-the-book, uptight can. Prowl branded Jazz as reckless, pretentious and immature. But after battles together they learnt to respect and appreciate each other's differences.

"Sir, I must take my leave. Good evening." He saluted and went his way. Watching him go, Optimus had a morbid thought of wondering if the next figurine to join this cemetery would be Prowl's. Or his own.

Optimus continued his away, eyeing every miniature until he halted on another one familiar. Perhaps the one that caused him most grief to see here. A slender, pink figure of Elita-One. His sparkmate, long fallen on Cybertron in the final, desperate battle to defend Iacon.

"Hey, Optimus." He saw Arcee walking by. "I came to see Tail and Cliff." She spoke of her late partners, Tailgate and Cliffjumper. The former had perished on Cybertron, but his body had been recovered and molten. The statuette was brought on one of the Autobot ships that arrived on Earth after the cyberforming. The latter's ending story was widely known. His statuette was made from the horn Arcee kept.

He nodded and they moved on. Nothing needed to be said.

"What's up, Bulk?" He saw Miko speaking up to the memorial of Bulkhead. She made sure to visit the statuette of the old Wrecker every month, to speak to him like he was still present. Often she talked about Riku, whom had the middle name 'Bulk' in memory of her first partner.

Later he stopped by a unique memorial. This was a pedestal with the live-sized statue of a human baby on a crib. The metal used to forge it was of the people of Geneva, whose funeral Optimus had arranged years ago when they first settled on the now ravaged capital. It represented a tiny tribute and last honor to the entire human race. The inscription on the pedestal was in English and Cybertronian:

'_For a light extinguished too young.'_

This one had always wrought on Optimus both the greatest of despair and determination to keep on fighting. When he came upon the humans on Australia, the determination doubled and the despair diminished with the hope that this memorial would not be to a dead end future.

But for that they would have to keep on fighting the Decepticons and Rafael. The day that humanity would be reborn was still far away.

He looked up at the dark sky. He needed some recharge and what better time to do it than the night, like humans do.

* * *

**An hour later.**

**Darby Residence.**

It was late night when Riku at last went catch some Zs.

The new bedroom was bare of decoration, even a proper bed. He slept on an improvised one made of layers of soft blankets. It was a far cry from their accommodating house on Geneva, now destroyed. Still, he had had worse.

He lied on the makeshift bed and petted Girudo, who sat beside him.

"'Night." after that, Riku didn't fight off the sleep any longer. And in the night, Riku and Optimus Prime shared the same dream, separately.

Darkness. All around him was darkness.

Then he felt a presence all around him. This vast, mighty, terrifying presence was the darkness itself!

A blast images and sensations blew in his mind. Purple lights! Darkest dread! Earth becoming enveloped in purple! The sudden final heart/sparkbeat that precedes the last step towards death! A pair of purple eyes flashing open!

And a dark voice that, of the two, only the Prime recognized:

"**By my mighty hand, the dead shall rise!**"

Simultaneously the boy and the Prime broke out of the nightmare.

Cold sweat ran down Riku's forehead and armpits. His heart was a hammer constantly beating against his ribs and his lungs demanded long gulps of air.

"Riku, you okay?" Miko's head poked into the room through the half-way opened door, carrying a lantern. When the mother saw how he was, she rushed in the room.

"Cool your jets, mom. Just a nightmare." He felt a poke on his side and saw Girudo was awake.

His mom quickly went to get a glass of water and gave it to him. "Take sips, don't gulp it down all at once."

Riku found that a hard task, given the harsh thirst he felt. While he gradually emptied the glass, he petted Girudo. "Thanks, mom. But I'm fine, now. Really."

She gave him a serious look and sat down on the floor with him. "What is bugging you?"

At first, Riku didn't know how to answer that. The nightmare hadn't make any sense. However, there was something in the back of his mind. "Guess it's just tomorrow. You guys are going up against Uncle Raf and…can I come?"

"No." she answered in no-time flat.

"Why not?"

"Because I say so and you're not going into battle while I'm your mom."

"Are you supposed to shelter me for the rest of my life?" he muttered. Her expression softened and she gave him a hug.

"As long as I'm your mom, I'll stand by you." She finished with a kiss in the forehead.

"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore." Half-playful, half-serious he tried to push her away.

"You are my kid until I say different." She retorted. Seeing her child's fright had passed, she got up and left.

Riku turned off the light and lied back down. Girudo snuggled closer to him and both fell asleep peacefully. No nightmare plagued the boy that night.

* * *

**Earth's core.**

The core of Earth, the slumbering physical form of Unicron, remained utterly still and undisturbed.

Unicron's energy form, his anti-spark, was a completely different story. In the last seven rotations of this pile of metal imprisoning him, the Chaos Bringer had put himself in a dormant state, gradually building up his strength until he could remain active indefinitely without falling in stasis out of exhaustion.

If it hadn't been for that infusion of his own blood, granted by a stroke of fate, he would have likely remain in stasis for eons. Perhaps to the end of time.

Unicron shook those thoughts away like ants. It mattered not what could have been. All that it matters was that he was once again free to smite the Universe.

As his force grew, Unicron had extended his conscience to feel the planet of parasites that held him still. Even with his body permanently inert, Unicron's essence was chaos, and chaos he would unleash on them. It was with great surprise he discovered most of this parasite infested shell was dead and cyberformed.

Pausing to learn what has become, he came to understand the children of his archnemesis Primus were still fighting amongst themselves. Lead on opposite sides by the accursed Prime and the impudent insect who contained his life blood, they gilded this planet in metal and killed all the native parasites.

And Unicron knew just what to do. He thrived on chaos, destruction and death. And what gave out more of those than war?

"**I know now what I must do to rise again. Only I shall stand, and all shall fall.**"

His essence extended itself. While Unicron's body remained offline, his anti-spark was generating his life-blood. Dark Energon was filling the core and slowly finding its way to the surface. Particularly by the way that on Yellowstone came in.

* * *

**20th April 2034. 21 Years and 170 days AE.**

**Ratchet's Workshop.**

"How many pods have you finished, Ratchet?"

"Over ten thousand, Optimus. All have been tested and ready for the patients. I have them stacked on my workshop." The medic replied with a proud smile.

"Be prepared to receive the patients at any time, after we depart." Optimus instructed.

"Ten thousand. That should do it for a first time." Jack commented with some sarcasm, knowing that most likely they would not be able to fill all these pods with just this mission.

"Be that as it may, every human life we rescue today is a victory by itself." Optimus said. "Now we must go join the troops."

He transformed and let Jack in, the two drove to what was once Central Park. When the city was New Kaon, the place was a gladiatorial arena. Nowadays it served as a sparring plaza, but today the troops were not sparing, but anticipating for the coming battle.

Here was a great portion of the Autobot fighting force, the most notorious commanders standing visible on the front. Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Prowl, Ironhide, Springer and his Wreckers, Fireblade and her squadron. No combiner was in sight, as they would remain in New York to guard the territory against any possible Decepticon attack while they had their backs turned.

"_Party's gonna be big_." Jack thought.

Optimus drove up to the podium where Perceptor was waiting. He let Jack join Miko, who stood beside the Wreckers.

"Autobots, we will soon undertake a mission without precedents in our history. Our goal is invade Australia and bring back as many of the enslaved humans as possible." Optimus paused. Of course everyone here was already up to speed on that. He was now delivering the information and assignments.

"For the last solar cycles our scouts have watched the borders and beyond of Rafael's domain and had determined the location of several slave camps and their defenses. We are to divide our force into teams assigned to a different camp."

Optimus let Perceptor speak: "As the main obstacle to the success of this mission are the hordes of scraplets, I have devised a way to keep them at bay." Perceptor showed a pile of stacked devices.

"They look like giant ipods." Miko commented to Jack and he had to agree.

"These were designed after studying the basic processors of scraplets and many subsequent trials…"

"Hey Perce, last I checked, this is a mission briefing, not a science class. So hurry the slag up, professor." Sunstreaker shouted, his equally antisocial brother ever at his side. Perceptor threw him a hard glare.

"Each one of these emits a sound wave on a frequency only the scraplets communicate. The interference will overload their audio receptors and put their processors in a coma-like stasis. Is that simple enough for you, Sunstreaker?" he eyed the younger Autobot harshly, who shrugged in return. Ironhide spoke up:

"That sounds good, Perceptor. But how reliable are these things in long-term? I doubt that little King won't figure out a way around the problem. Maybe change the frequency of his pets."

"Quite so, this solution is not definitive, as you well know how an arms race goes. But we are counting on several points, between the scraplet's inability to work as a coordinated force and Rafael's lunacy. We have also tuned up anti-scraplet weaponry, such as freezing bombs and laser nets. And as a precaution, each and everyone of you will be polished with anti-scraplet wax."

All the soldiers were displeased with that and most showed it with groans. The anti-scraplet wax was invented by the Decepticons when Rafael was still sane and his work with scraplets was fairly new. The wax was bathed all over a mech's armor and the scraplet's wouldn't dare to go near him.

The scout Blurr was the first to enquire what they all knew. "Isn'tThatThingOutdatedEvenBeforeRafaelTurnedMad? .OrWasItMetabee?OrMeta…"

The anti-scraplet wax was used by the Decepticons against the early scraplet long before Rafael went mad. Until he developed a new model that nullified that defense.

"Indeed, the metaroach can shoot the acid that dissolves the wax." Perceptor explained quickly. "The Decepticons dropped that defense when it became useless, so Rafael discontinued the metaroach breed."

"I see another issue, Perceptor; that of transportation. You still have found no way to crack the dampener field shielding the continent, have you?" Ultra Magnus voiced.

One of the greatest mysteries of Rafael's defenses was the impossibility of Autobots of Decepticons of opening groundbridges on his territory. That forced both parties to begin any invasion beyond the borders which were guarded by the daunting and vicious Grindworms. The strangest thing though, was that during the separate rescues of Megatron and Optimus, nobody saw any tower or device that emitted the dampening field.

"That took me quite a while to figure out, Commander. The reason why we could not find any disruptors or sense any dampening field at all is because they do not exist. All of Australia is shielded by a disruptor net."

Perceptor's revelation was met with some surprised looks and facepalms from the most savvy Autobots. Wheeljack was amongst the latters, who had been a scientist before he was a warrior.

"Yo Jackie, what's that disruptor thing?" Miko asked, knocking her hand on his leg.

"An outdated tech. A groundbridge disruptor net can be hidden just fine and projects a web of energy that cuts off any bridge originating from the outside. But if the bridge is opened on the inside of the net…"

"It passes just fine." Jack concluded. "That's how Raf has been hitting and running all around us and the 'Cons."

"How come our eggheads didn't figure it out sooner?" Miko scoffed.

"Because our enemy is insane and unpredictable, Miss. It never occurred he would utilize such outdated and flawed defense." Perceptor singled out Miko on the crowd with a stern glare. She returned in kind, not self-conscious at all.

"Perce's audio receptors gathered no rust." Sideswipe snickered silently.

"They're as sharp as ever, Sideswipe, thank you." Perceptor turned his gaze to the offending 'Bot before continuing:

"Now then, each team will be supplied with a groundbridge remote control. Thus, by opening the bridges from their location, the disruptor net will not offer any impedance." He produced one of the devices. "Any questions?"

The soldiers posed inquiries about the technicalities of the devices, but Jack had some concerns that didn't involve the equipment. Things he had been wanting to ask Miko about:

"Y'know, today we may see Raf again. You up for it?"

"If I weren't up for it, you think I'd be here?" she retorted with a cocky smirk. So typical old school Miko.

"I'm serious. If he shows up, it'll be the first time you see him since…" Jack cut himself off. The last time Miko had seen him was after Raf put Riku in danger, which resulted in the former's banishment from Geneva. But at that time he was still sane and Miko had blamed herself for the fate that befallen her friend years later.

"Anyways, he may not react well. Scratch that, he'll probably go ballistic when he sees us taking away his _employees_."

"Jack," she sighed with a hint of exasperation amongst other emotions. "I know what I'm doing. I despise Raf for what he did to the 'Bots, to the people he enslaved and to Bumblebee. But I still miss him. And Prime's call to brand him the enemy is…" she trailed off.

"Cold? Yeah, I hear you." Jack gave Prime a discreet look. "He's becoming a bit distant. Back on Australia, I could see he wasn't going to hesitate to put a hole in Megatron's buckethead."

Miko wondered darkly. "You think…if we got to capture Raf, he would kill him on the spot?" she threw a hesitant glance at Optimus.

"No, I don't think so." He added in the privacy of his mind. "_I hope not_."

Optimus had just distributed the teams with the coordinates they would make their assault/rescue mission. Some Autobots, notoriously Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were not yearning to go 'leap on a field of tox-en for a bunch of squishies'. But they would not dare to disobey him, of that Optimus was _strictly_ certain.

It was time to go…

...Then the Prime noticed a sudden movement out of the corner of his optic, on the bleachers of the former arena. Optimus scanned the place and found out what. He moved like he would casually taking a stroll until he reached the top row of bleachers and looked at the chair he had previously scanned:

"Riku, I know you are there."

"Yo, OP." Riku came out from behind the bleach.

"What are you doing here?" Optimus fixed him with a stern gaze.

"Just watching some stuff."

"You planning to move into the battle unsupervised." That wasn't a question from the Prime.

"Something like that." Riku shrugged with an innocent smile. Optimus exhaled and closed his optics halfway. It was a sign of Prime being impatient.

"Retreat yourself back to your home, Riku. That is an order." Optimus turned his back and walked away, but halted when the boy spoke back.

"You're not okay, Optimus, that's plain to see. What's crawling up your tailpipe?" Optimus gave a look that would dissuade someone else, but not the boy with the mother's stubbornness and the father's determination.

Sighing, he decided to let go of the truth. "I have been perturbed by vague perceptions that something ominous will unfold."

"Perceptions? Optimus, sometimes you could just chill out your vocabulary."

"What you call 'dreams'. Or perhaps the correct description would be 'nightmares'." He clarified. "I have been experiencing nightmares."

"Yeah, I get ya. Bad dreams can be a pain, I'd know." Riku muttered, running his hand on the back on his neck. "There was this one last night, with all that dark, purple goo and the evil-looking eyes…"

Optimus' optics snapped open like windows blown by an abrupt gale. "Riku, elaborate on this nightmare you had."

"Uh, okay...was dark and cold, then purple lights fired up. I saw the world turning purple. Then the purple eyes said something about 'raising the dead'. Creepy."

Optimus covered his surprised shock with a frown before Riku eyed him for an answer. "Why did you ask, Optimus? Do these dreams mean something, or they're just mumbo-jumbo my brain's playing on me?"

"I believe it would be best you do not overly debate on these nightmares, Riku. It is best you simply dispel them from thought. Now leave."

Riku grinned. "Now there's the Prime that speaks with big words. Fine, I'll go. And I won't try to sneak aboard the Xanthium." Optimus watched him walk away until he was out of sight.

The troops were ready to go through the groundbridge vortex. Burying all doubts under a mask of assertiveness and strength, Optimus led the charge.

But his Spark felt more certain than ever now. This mission, however it turned out, would not be the worst they were yet to bear.

* * *

**1 hour later.**

**Perth, West Australia.**

The Xanthium and her Wrecker crew had leaped out of the groundbridge vortex several miles from the coast, unaffected by the disruptor net. It had been some stellar cycles since the whole Wrecker unit was deployed as one.

Miko, who was loading her personal sniper rifle by the command panel, asked by curiosity. "Y'know, I was a tad stunned when you guys volunteered for this. This is no tough gig that no other 'Bots have the hard chassis for. It's just a rescue mission."

Wheeljack, who piloted the ship, turned to her with his usual smirk but a no-joking, committed tone. "Miko, this gig is important to you. It's about bringing back your peeps. That said, it's important to us Wreckers."

"We're Wreckers, through and through." Springer came into the command center. "When Raf shackled up those people, he messed with you and so, he messed with all of us."

Miko snorted. "You guys don't go get all mushy on me. But thanks."

"Approaching target. Better get prepped." Wheeljack passed a servo on his ipod-like gadget that was supposed to keep the scraplets sonically at bay.

"I see those overgrown scrap eaters. They're preparing a welcoming committee." Moonracer pointed down.

A horde of beeterrors was circling the plaza of the town where the Xanthium was intended to land. Rather than flying up and attacking the vessel in the air, the vicious metal grinding aberrations appeared to be contended in tearing through it the moment it touched the ground. A great feast was at hand!

"Then let's not be rude and say 'hello'." Springer ordered. "Open bomb-bay doors, Jackie!"

The pilot pulled a lever and Springer, Kup, Hotshot and Fisitron fell from the skies as the bay doors beneath their pedes split opened. They make their heavy, thunderous entrance in the middle of the beeterrors and, in any other case, that would have been a clear request of suicide.

Except that these Wreckers had their anti-scraplet ipods in maximum and the predators found themselves fighting a collective migraine. To say the battle was even a battle was exaggeration; the beeterrors never saw the blades severing their heads or the blasters burning holes on their torsos. Miko and Moonracer were firing from the still airborne ship, snipping down the hopeless beeterrors with even more ease.

"Gotta admit I missed the old days when every hour was headshots." Miko grinned, pulling the trigger on her gun and blowing up a head. "Sayonara, baby!" She tried out the old catchphrase.

"And I gotta admit it's good to work again with a fellow sniper." Moonracer got a headshot for herself while sharing small talk. "What's been keeping you busy, nowadays?"

"Oh, you know. Motherhood, raising the last kid on Earth." Miko half-sighed. She had really missed going out on the field! By the time the Xanthium landed, the_ welcoming committee_ was a pile of dead metal.

"Seriously, not one left for me?" Wheeljack grumbled, swords out, when he saw the field lacking any living enemies.

"Sorry, partner. We got greedy." Miko grinned.

Springer gave a long look at their surroundings, the laboring humans paid them no attention. "We just scrapped a bunch of beeterrors and the folks didn't lose a beat. Whatever spell Rafael has them under, it's almost scary."

Miko shared his look. Having been mentally prepared, she didn't found herself as lost or struck as Jack had been the first time. Notwithstanding it was desolating to witness all that remains of humanity reduced to mindless slaves.

She was grateful when Springer barked out new orders. "Alright, enough sightseeing, we gotta work to do. Wheeljack and Kup, bring the pods while we gather the people. Miko, you better come with us. We'll try to be gentle with them, but we're still Wreckers and breaking stuff comes with the job."

* * *

**Katherine, Northern Territory. Australia.**

This was the second time he stood on this horrendous parody of a civilization. As soon as they arrived flying on a shuttle, they were besieged by scraplets, who were promptly exterminated when the ipods were turned on.

The shuttle was full of the stasis pods, which the humans offered zero resistance or compliance when were put in. They went where they were nudged to, and the Autobots had to be very careful when giving such nudges. Which Sunstreaker described as 'playing cybernanny to a bunch of squishies.'

Jack help guiding – more like goading – a man into a pod. In spite of the mission going smoothly, he didn't feel his spirit lifting. The knowledge of the state of this people, perpetrated by a former friend, allowed little joy.

"There you go." He whispered that more to himself than to the drone of a man. He closed the pod and the man was cryogenically preserved. Letting out a tired sigh of this routine, Jack looked up and casually noticed the warehouse with the machine he had burnt to the ground last time. It was standing back up again, repaired like it had never fallen. With an annoyed grunt, Jack tore his eyes off the ugly building and landed them on the towering Prime who looked thoughtful.

In fact Optimus was more than thoughtful; he was distracted that he halted carrying the people into the pods.

"Optimus, something the matter?"

"Uh…"Optimus turned to him with a bemused expression. Jack noted something else on his faceplates, was it…fear?! "No, I am merely pondering."

"Forgive the language, but that's a load of scrap." Jack frowned.

Optimus sighed and began to mutter something when, without warning, he gave out a painful grunt and fell on his knees.

"Optimus!" every other Autobot came running to their leader, whose Spark was aching terribly.

"Prime, are you alright?" Prowl helped him get up.

"No, none of us will be." Optimus answered grimly. What he had dreaded had become a reality. "Inform all our teams to abort their missions and retreat to New York, at once. It's coming."

"What is coming?" Jack asked.

"Unicron's shadow."

* * *

**Yellowstone.**

The moment was at last at hand! The moment that the darkness dwelling within the heart of this gilded world was craving for. Summoning all of his accumulated strength, Unicron expelled a massive portion of his life essence out of the pore.

The darkness grows as all life dies.

The supervolcano erupted, casting off an enormous spring of Dark Energon. A purple haze invaded the night. The dark matter solidified in zillions of tephra, which flew into three different clouds in separate directions.

"**By my mighty hand, the dead shall rise!**"

* * *

**New York.**

Arcee was left in charge of the capital, having served as Optimus Prime's second-in-command on Team Prime. A team, she thought not for the first time, whose numbers had been dwindling. Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, Rafael, Bumblebee…

Her musings were abruptly cut off by a call. "_Officer Arcee, come in." _

"Arcee here, go."

"_Officer, we just got a massive airborne reading of energy coming our way_." reported the operator on the HQ.

"Decepticons?" she tensed up.

"_Unknown. It's coming from West, travelling at a speed of hundreds of miles per click... Primus, it's Dark Energon!_"

Arcee wasn't listening anymore. Hers and every other pair of optics could see the dark night illuminated by the cloud of purple. The soldiers uttered words of fright, imagining the wrath of Unicron was upon them. Arcee witnessed the shards rained down, not upon them living ones, but upon the honor cemetery.

"Arcee, what is happening?" Ratchet sped to her and transformed. Other Autobots joined them, asking their current commanding officer for directions.

"Primus, no!"

The 'Bots raced to the graveyard with Arcee on the front. The scene they came to watch was more horrendous than they had feared. Each miniature likeness of the deceased was embedded with one shard and the statuettes turned into purple masses that increased in size.

Jazz...

Bulkhead...

Elita-One...

Cliffjumper...

Tailgate...

Alpha Trion...

Seaspray...

Impactor...

Blaster...

First Aid...

Streetwise...

Hot Spot...

Groove...

All rise again.

The (living) Autobots looked horrified and with disbelief as the shells of their lost friends, of old and new, rose again with darkened chassis and purple optics. The zombified Autobots charged at their living foes.

Arcee found herself engaged by two disturbingly familiar faces that have more than once haunted her thoughts and nightmares: her two late partners.

"**Arcee, been a long time, hu?**" spoke a Terrorcon. A zombie actually spoke! The undead husk of her second partner in that same conversationalist demeanor she remembered him. It was such a perfect imitation it was creepy. The shell of Cliffjumper had her pinned with her back against a wall. **"Long time, yeah. But why haven't I seen you around?**" he mock-thought it over. "**Oh, yeah, that's right! Because you left me to DIE!**" he uttered the last word with a flash of anger.

"**Don't fuss all over that, Cliff. I was the first partner she **_**pretended**_** to give a frag about.**" Tailgate, a face she hadn't seen in so many vorns but was no less missed, delivered a harsh fist in her solar plexus and threw her petite frame away.

"No!" Arcee cried out, trying to stand up. With the influence of the Dark Energon, she felt her energy draining rapidly. "I never pretended. I…I'm sorry…"

"**That you got us killed?**" Tailgate finished, he and his associate approaching her to deliver another verbal and physical torment.

"**Y'know, 'Cee.**" Cliff elucidated. "**I dunno which one of us you pretended to like the most, but we blame you more than Screamer and Spider-glitch for us pushing up lugnuts. And you know why?**"

"**Because,**" Tailgate smirked. "**no matter how much you hate Screamer and Airachnid, they aren't as guilty as you are. That's right, partner. We're dead and rusted because you were a bad friend. Because, like you unconsciously tell yourself in the deepest pits of your Spark is true, you're the one who killed us.**"

"NO! That's not true!" she bellowed, hoping that if she said vehemently enough…she would believe it.

It was like this all around. The Autobots would now fight the faces of those they had loved, who rose from their graves to torment them. In the midst of the all the terror, nobody noted one of the shards had infected a very peculiar memorial dedicated to a dead species.

The infant statuette glowed purple but didn't increased mass. Humanoid shapes began to emerge from it like hatchlings coming out of the same egg, one after another. Many, many, many rose to plague the most compassionate Autobots for one terrible sin.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

While one of the clouds descended upon the Autobots, the second kept to Decepticon territory to bring Unicron's plague onto them. Megatron felt the Dark Energon in his spark chamber pulsing with the proximity of its equal. The cloud drowned the top of the tower fortress in the nefarious fog.

"Lord Megatron…" Cyclonus stopped when he saw the purple in his Master's optics. They were standing on the ground and looked up to the looming cloud.

"Cyclonus, tell our troops to fight their way out of a nightmare." Megatron declared grimly. "Deploy all Predacons."

Unlike the Autobots, Megatron wanted no cemeteries for his followers. In the gladiatorial arena, the fallen ones were completely recycled, never left as a monument to their offlined lives. The Decepticons followed the same policy and melted their deceased into raw metal to be reutilized. But that did not dissuaded the fragments, which scattered all around the fortress and the surrounding areas, seeking the parts, weapons and machinery that once had been alive.

Starscream...

Dreadwing...

Breakdown...

Airachnid…

Makeshift...

Hardshell...

Motormaster...

Blackout...

Steve...

Leland Bishop...

June Darby...

Jeffrey Grayson...

William Fowler...

Sierra Griffin...

Vince Thompson...

All rise again.

Everywhere around, old faces he wished he would never see again presented themselves. One in particular, the very first to rise back up, confronted him with a repulsive smile:

"**Megatron.**"

"Starscream." The warlord uttered the name like a curse between clenched teeth. "This time, I will hold nothing back when I finish you with extreme prejudice."

"**You're welcome to try, **_**Master**_**.**" The deceased one made a mock bow. Megatron fired his fusion cannon at maximum power and blasted an enormous hole in Starscream's torso. So large, his left arm was disintegrated as well. The right side of his upper body tangled like a twisted branch with the smiling head on top. It was horrifying.

"**Ah, Master.**" Starscream's ravaged body began to grow purple jelly substance which solidified into regenerated metal. "**That is the one similarity we had that made me follow you. You never knew when to give up, especially when your twisted dreams became increasingly remote.**"

Megatron scoffed. "It takes one to know one."

"**Touché!**"

Megatron couldn't believe he was making small talk with this despicable Terrorcon! "Starscream, if you value whatever sliver of wretched life you may have in your husk, return to the Pits where you crawled out of!"

"**Or what, my liege? You shall **_**kill**_** us like you have everyone who deviated from your path even slightly?**" that cool and controlled voice could only belong to a powerful Seeker armed with his own cannon. Megatron turned to see Dreadwing opposing him. The lieutenant that had been struck down by Megatron's own hand had no smile, but an accusatory frown. While he didn't let that glare affect him, Megatron did feel a miniscule pint of regret in his obligatory part in extinguishing Dreadwing's Spark.

"Dreadwing, you must understand I did not slay you because I wished so. You were disobeying a direct order and that I could no longer tolerate from any of my Decepticons, not even the most loyal." Many would not believe it, but Megatron spoke with sincerity.

"**And in doing so you proved Starscream correct; no matter what your intentions of delusional righteousness say, all you have wrought is pain. Upon my brother and me.**" The undead Seeker spat coldly.

"**Megatron, if you still believe your ideals are for the better future of our race, take a look around.**" Starscream indicated the battle all around them.

Decepticons everywhere fought their deceased comrades. The undead ones seemed invincible, refusing to go back to rest. The living ones often fell only to rise back on the opposite side.

He saw the Stunticons firing hopelessly on their two former members Motormaster and Breakdown. The undead pair threw insults at their unruly comrades as they neared. Then the latter went after Knockout when the medic just happened to be running by.

Thundercracker and Skywarp were chased in the skies by half of their former cadre of Seekers, amongst were Dirge and Makeshift. The persecutors gave promises of a slow and painful death as they themselves had suffered.

Hardshell rained terror upon his brethren of Insecticons, singling out some of those he knew better.

The few Vehicons still online were mowed down by the undead ones, and the infamous Steve was leading the death charge.

"**In the beginning, the War for Cybertron was just killing the Autobots.**" A voice with a sultry undertone spoke out. He was not at all surprised to see Airachnid. "**Then when the civilians began rooting for them, the rule became 'killing everyone who was no Decepticon'. Not that I complained about it, of course. Then it became 'killing the parts of the planet that belonged to the Autobots'. I quite enjoyed the obliteration of Crystal City and the assault on Iacon. And finally the rule was 'killing the planet'.**"

"**What does that tell you, Megatron?**" another voice asked, one whose owner was perched on Airachnid's shoulder. Megatron had to admit he was surprised to see the human self-named Silas again. "**That all you can give is death. Never creating the future you promised, only destroying what exists now. We're 'living' proofs of that, all of us.**" He said the last part in a joking manner.

The warlord growled, fed up with this. "What is your point, you puppets of Unicron? You were all casualties in the process to build a better future. Nothing worth forging can be made without sacrifices. That is what you all were." He pointed a taloned servo to them, more specifically to Silas.

The Terrorcons stood silent for a klik before breaking into a laughter that wasn't either joyful or mocking. It didn't relieve the apprehension at all, but rather increase the pinch of terror that Megatron felt but would never admit he did.

"I missed the joke." He snarled, itching to blast one of them for all the good it would do. The chuckles subsided, Starscream shaking his head as if he was failing to instruct an ignorant protoform.

"**Tsk, tsk, tsk, Megatron. You **_**are**_** the joke. Do you continue deluded by your pretenses of self-righteousness?**"

Dreadwing took the pace. "**You are no savior, leader or conqueror. Merely a ravenous destroyer whose fate is to be put down.**"

"**Peace through tyranny, you say?**" Airachnid shrugged. "**More like 'Death through destruction'.**"

"**If we are pawns of Unicron, you are his tool. At best.**" Silas put a great emphasis in the last two words. That set off every bomb in Megatron's processor. With a raging roar, he unleashed blast after blast from his fusion cannon in every direction.

These puppets, these heinous imitations had just hit every nerve. Megatron was PISSED! And a pissed Megatron equals a dead 'you'.

However, the current foes were already dead, a fact that Megatron recollected after 10 kliks of deranged firing and to his further aggravation, they were still smugly standing. Without warning, the three undead Decepticons attacked their leader in unison. Starscream shot a pair of missiles, Dreadwing a potent bolt from his cannon and Airachnid added a barrage from the blasters imbedded in her palms.

Megatron fell down, his chest armor broken, though his Spark was still shielded and unharmed. The attackers didn't move on him, though. It was Silas who leaped off Airachnid's shoulder and landed on his chest. The deceased human's eyes fuelled by the blood of the malevolent God fixed on Megatron's optics who shared the same coloration.

"**And it's not only we who have something to tell you, Megatron.**" He sneered and looked to his left. A new figured walked into his vision and revealed itself to be the human liaison of the Autobots, William Fowler.

"**Well, long time no see, Mega-crum! Just wanna to thank you for tearing down Lady Liberty…and for killing off our planet. So I brought company.**" Fowler smirked. "**Lots and lots of company.**"

Megatron discovered he couldn't get up or move anything below his neck for his limbs were being smothered under the weight of thousands of humans! Just a small portion of the billions of sentients he had condemned to extinction without a thought.

"**So this is great Megaklutz, big-shot from outer space? Kind figured he'd be, I dunno, bigger?**" a boy named Vince mocked stupidly atop Megatron's left knee joint.

"**And just check out his head, looks like he's got a bucket. Hey, oh Lord Megsy, shouldn't you be wearing a crown?**" chuckled Sierra on the right shoulder.

"GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF ME, YOU DARN, DIRTY APES!" pushing with all his fury, Megatron released his right arm and blasted every single human with multiple shots of fusion cannon. Only bits and pieces remained of the little ants, which promptly began to regenerate. Still injured in the chest, he got up and faced off against the three remaining undead Decepticons with myriads of humans soon to crawl again all over.

But not all humans were reengaging in the carnage. Two individuals moved away to the sidelines where they could watch the fight with no obstruction.

"**This is getting interesting now that Buckethead got his act together. And who is interested in partaking in a fair fight?**" said a male one.

"**I was thinking of something else to pass our time. I heard my son now lives in what remains of New York. Maybe we should pay him a visit, for old times' sake, Jeffrey.**" The female suggested.

"**Didn't he had a hand in these Deceptigoons losing that city?**"

"**Indeed.**" The female smiled deliciously. "**And that makes me so proud of my boy. I should definitely tell him how glad I am for him…after I separate his head from his shoulders.**"

The wicked pair took their leave, ignored by all the metal titans.

"Shockwave, can you read me?" Cyclonus was up in the skies, overseeing the massacre with a dreadful Spark.

"_Affirmative._"

"You must open the vault of heavy weaponry, even the experimental ones! We need every resource at our disposition to survive this."

"_Presently I am barricaded in my laboratory, cut off from the vaults and fighting off a horde of Terrorcons. I will be severely delayed_."

"I will go there to assist you. It's imperative we get those weapons. Even the Predacons are faring poorly against foes that cannot die."

"_Understood. Is there any other information I should be aware of?_"

"Yes." Cyclonus turned his sensors downwards and saw a yellow and purple chassis being overpowered by enemies. "Your brother Shockblast has been offlined."

On his end, if Shockwave were not neck-deep in battling for his Spark and servo, he might have considered doing a victory dance in privacy. Instead he asked: "_And the bad news?"_

"He has risen back and appears to be making his way to you location. Expect a reckoning."

Megatron's strength and stamina were fed by the Dark Energon, but unlike his enemies he could not go on forever. And that's what they were counting on. His troops were losing badly. It wasn't enough that their enemies were nigh-indestructible. But for every one they lost, they gained a new enemy ready to tear them apart. Megatron cursed Unicron over and over again.

Giving a war roar, Megatron grabbed Starscream by his skinny legs and span him around and threw him into Dreadwing, putting the two Seekers out of commission for a few seconds. Without losing a moment, he fired a potent shot into Airachnid, debilitating her momentarily. Then it was just a matter of stomping on the human pests as he growled into every Decepticon frequency:

"Decepticons, this is a hopeless battle. Every abled warrior retreat to the Nemesis and put the ship airborne. Fire up the turbo-lasers. And Ristvak'baen proceed with the same action; ready the fusion cannons to pulverize all the territory around the fortress. Vaporize this abominations!"

It had been a fortitude the fortress and the ship had not been invaded and could serve as fall back bases. All the infrastructure surrounding the citadel would be atomized with this course of action and he realized he would lose a number of soldiers trapped in the factories, armories and other buildings. A necessary sacrifice. Like everyone and everything Megatron sent to the Pits had been.

He transformed and made his way to the warship from where he would command the eradication of this plague of undead. His sense of hopeful victory was shattered once he spotted a large chunk of Dark Energon flying towards the vessel.

"NO!"

Trypticon rises again.

* * *

**Australia, Simpson Desert, Alpha Hive.**

The fabled Alpha Hive was said to be the King's lair, from where he never left. This one-of-a-kind hive was concealed in the center of Australia by the wilderness and geography. It was a dome of twenty meters radius, in a narrow valley. This area was prohibited to all scraplets but the Elite Beeterrors, who were arguably the most powerful and loyal of breeds.

In this secretive hive, what remained of the charred body of Rafael Esquivel was maintained alive by the advanced technology and a supercomputer which allowed his mind to watch all over Australia through the many flashflies.

Every day and every night this place was silent, even previous to the cyberforming when the area was a desert. The job of the Elite was to guard the hive and their King against any threat. But with all the secrecy and security, the occupation merely revolved around killing a straggler or two who wound up in the area, either by accident or curiosity .

But tonight was contrastingly different. The Alpha Hive was under attack by an army. An undead army of the human slaves Rafael worked to death and the offline scraplets he butchered in his deranged outbursts.

"_Insubordination!_" Rafael's voice scratched from the boom box on the flashfly overshadowing the battle. The Elite Beeterrors and the automated defense guns of the hive were holding off the vengeful zombies. Rafael in his lunacy continued to treat the walking dead as a mob of disgruntled ex-employees. "I have told every single one of you, you cheekless wonders! This company does not grant final paychecks. Now run along before my Security runs you over!"

Undeterred, the undead pressed on their charge, spitting and shouting threats at their former master. Only to be burnt or crushed by the defenders of the hive. As long as the Elite could avoid been offlined, they could keep the undead trespassers at bay.

What none noticed was a single Dark Energon crystal passing through the thick outer layer of the hive like thin air. The essence of Unicron felt a dead presence within the hive. One very close to their target.

Encountering a sealed metal coffin, the shard burst it open to reveal a dried corpse of a woman and embedded itself in it.

Adeline Fitzgerald rises again.

The woman cried out and got up from her resting place. A flashfly flew into the camera and the eye on screen opened wide.

"Well, look what the dead dragged in, _damas y caballeros_? Our former entertainment advisor."

"**RAFAEL!**" she shrieked. "**You sent your scraplets hunt me down and bring me to this hellhole. You used me as your plaything, let me go only to send your pets hunt me down and bring me back, over and over again!**"

"Like I said, entertainment was your department." He had no chance to say anything else to her. Adeline leaped and threw a fist into the flashfly, destroying it.

"**Now, it's my turn to hunt.**" She smirked.

* * *

**New York.**

"Predacons on Geneva. Zombies in New York. And they say life in the capital is the safest." Riku shouted inside Smokescreen, who made a hard turn to avoid a Terrorcon.

"Safest from 'Cons, maybe. But this isn't our normal day routine." Smokescreen muttered. This was a wild ride to avoid the zombies that were spreading through the district of Manhattan. The walls had been closed to make sure the undead didn't slip to the other districts. Smokescreen was going to find a way out of the core district and put his partner to safety, then going back into the battle.

"Get ready partner, we're doing some phase-shifting." He declared when he saw a clear path into the walls surrounding Manhattan. The risk of opening the gates and allow the Terrorcons to invade the rest of the capital was unaffordable. The Autobots could not lose another major city so soon.

He sped through the wall, Riku phasing along with him, and they came out on Bronx, the northern entrance to the capital.

"Uh, never do that again." The boy clenched his twisted stomach. Phase-shifting on humans, not cool.

Smokescreen changed to robot and put Riku safely on the ground. "Now you stay. I meant it."

"I'm not a pet cyber-duck."

"I know, but you tend to go after trouble like retro-rats after spoiled energon crums. Stay. Put." The Elite Guard said vehemently before transforming and speeding back into the citadel, passing through the wall.

"Great, now I get to sit on my aft while everyone else is fighting a zombie apocalypse." He scowled, kicking a metal pepple.

A startling bark lifted his mood like a shot of adrenaline.

"Girudo!" the retriever ran up to the boy and put his forepaws on his chest, trying to lick his face. "Ease up, boy. I'm fine. Hey, you wanna help me go after Smokey for some action?"

Girudo whined and sat himself down. Riku made face. "What do you mean, 'no way'?"

* * *

Smokescreen had just emerged from the wall back into the battlefield when he had to run into an uncannily familiar face.

"Oh, my Primus!"

"**Smokescreen, my impetuous student and feckless bodyguard.**" The rich voice that would once instilled respect and devotion, now inspired terror. The mech was tall and strong-looking, yet its great power did not appear to be physical. The great bear was that extended the middle of his chest was a marker of how many stellar cycles had this one mech lived through.

"A-Alpha Trion." The soldier's voice trembled.

"**I had entrusted you with my Spark and one of the sacred Omega Keys. Yet you stood idle as the Decepticons stormed the Hall of Records and extinguished my life. And because of your failure to protect the Omega Key, Megatron employed them all to slay an entire innocent world.**" The undead Alpha Trion had no taunting smirk, in contrast to his kin. His tone was of cold severity and great disappointment. That was what most injured Smokescreen.

"**Ever the irrational, the headstrong, the arrogant miscreant.**" Alpha Trio proceeded to kick him in the torso violently. "**You were never meant to be a Prime. Behold where Optimus' leadership guided our race to.**" He extended his arms like embracing the surrounding chaos. "**If he wrought such misery upon the Autobots, what chances have you ever stood of performing better?**"

Smokescreen couldn't bear to hear any more of that. He transformed and activated the phase-shifter, passed right through his undead teacher and never looked back.

"**Run, Smokescreen, flee. Cast yourself even deeper into disgrace.**"

Smokescreen refused to hear another word. All he cared about was escaping. Not just from Alpha Trion but also from the growing horror that what the Terrorcon proclaimed was true.

* * *

In his workshop, Ratchet was pinned down by a group of familiar faces. Today every living Autobot was having a hard time with familiar faces.

In the doctor's case, he was pinned by the limbs by the patients who had perished on his table. The names, the faces, the injuries all came impacting on his processor. Each face, a different story but all with the same outcome.

"**Comfortable, doctor?**" one of the undead, a femme who had perished with terrible wounds caused by scraplets, was stepping on his wrist.

"**Hope you are, doc. The least we can do as you let us go offline just as comfortably.**" A scout who had died with a shot near the Spark held his left leg down.

"'**Cause today you got a special patient.**" A soldier who perished with cosmic rust grinned, his sick smile half-eaten by rust. Ratchet felt tiny pokes on his chest plates and gasped. Taking short steps was an undead little girl. Two remarkable things about this one girl: her eyes shed strings of purple tears and her face rebound on Ratchet's memory the moment he saw her. It was the little girl whom he had seen on Geneva when Team Prime first arrived there, the little one who had been cyberformed on her knees and alone.

"**Hi, Ratchet.**" She spoke, almost sounding innocent.

"Uh…hello?"

"**My mommy and daddy were always busy working in the big palace and never had time for me. But mommy one day said I could come instead of spending the day with that mean nanny. And when I was alone in the park of the big palace, the sky looked pretty and everyone started running and screaming. I cried for mommy and daddy but they never came.**" As she talked, she approached until she was standing before Ratchet's face.

"I…I'm so sorry." he said mournfully, looking at every undead. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you all."

The innocence in the girl's voice disappeared once he uttered those words. Now she spoke with cold indifference, making her look even less human.

"**No, you're not sorry. You never cared for us, humans. When the world became metal, and you moved to Geneva, you were happy because it almost felt like Cybertron. You were happy that we were gone forever so you could have a home again.**"

"No, this isn't what I wanted! Please, believe me."

"This isn't what any of us wanted." All hope returned when Optimus Prime made his sudden entrance. He punched, blasted and cut every Terrorcon in his way. Next he tossed the zombie girl in the air and blasted her to atoms. While the Terrorcons were in the process of regenerating, the girl had been reduced to nothing, thus could not rise again.

"Ratchet, are you alright?" Optimus offered him a servo, which the medic took shakily.

"I am…uninjured." He was certainly not alright after this experience. And Optimus had picked that much up.

"Arcee has briefed me on the situation. Ratchet, regardless of what you have witnessed, this battle is far from over. The forces I took to Australia have all just returned. But we still need every able-body Autobot to survive. The hospital is safeguarded by the Elite Guard now, but they still require every doctor available." Optimus looked him dead in the optic. "Can you do it?"

"Y-yes, I will do it." The end of the sentence was more secure and the medic departed without another word.

Optimus exited the workshop and send a message to every Autobot within his reach:

"Autobots, this battle cannot be won if you allow the words of our enemies to cripple your will. You are to forget the husks you fight were once fellow soldiers, friends and partners. They are but empty shells bonded to the Chaos Bringer, notwithstanding how much they resemble our fallen comrades. The only way to put them back to rest is to disintegrate their forms whole so they cannot regenerate. Do this not just for our future but to honor their memories."

He ended the transmission and hoped that would be enough. They could not afford to lose hope.

He transformed and sped out of the empty street. There was a struggle a block away that was going badly. When he arrived there, two Terrorcons were expecting him. Optimus frowned deeply. It had been just a matter of kliks until Unicron played this trick on him.

"**Yo, OP! Long time no see. But what can a 'Bot do when he's, y'know, like dead and scrap. Still, I'm a bit hurt at Spark that you weren't there to cover my aft when Cyclonus ran his sword through me. Weren't we BFFs even before the War. Guess not, hey?**" said a relatively small mech with an agile frame and fluid movements.

"**Don't feel so bad, I know how that feels. Optimus, do you remember the battle to defend Iacon. You told me the mission to block the southern gate would be suicide with Insecticons crawling all over. My team and I accepted it, nonetheless. I never backed from a fight, especially not a messy one; that must be why you always liked me.**

"**I recall I didn't die because of the Insecticons but because of some interesting viral compound they injected in a shot I took to the back. Tell me, my dear, did you forget to inform me the 'Cons were packing biological weapons that day, or did you chose to hold back that detail to make sure I would get the job done?**"

Optimus response was a double shot of energon wholly free of hesitation. Jazz was hit in the head and fell down but began to regenerate. Elita-One was lucky to have taken the shot to the shoulder and losing an arm.

"**Optimus, have you not injured and betrayed me enough?**" Elita enquired with a mock-hurt expression. Optimus shifted his blaster for a blade and ran through the abomination's chest. He looked into this freakish imitation of his sparkmate's optics:

"You have no Spark."

"**That is because you have broken it**."

* * *

"_Miko, I found Smokescreen. He's a bit shaken but he left Riku outside the battle in the Bronx. I'm making my way there._"

"Roger. Get our kid back before he does something I would." Miko ended the call and fired a missile from aboard the Xanthium. The head of a Terrorcon burst before it began regenerating. But it wouldn't make a difference for the guns of the ship would blast the remains to smithereens. When the zombies were regenerating they got disoriented enough to be incinerated by the Xanthium's plasma blasts. "This makes me miss the 'Con-Grinder."

"Don't sound so down, girl. We're bringing the rain. Again" Moonracer commented, once again shooting alongside the woman.

"And I'm stuck piloting this tub. Again." Wheeljack turned his disgruntled face from the controls.

"Get that rock out of your tailpipe. At least now you're shooting, too." Indeed Wheeljack both piloted and commanded the plasma bolts.

"Not the same as blasting them with my own gun."

"Now that's what I…" the Xanthium suffered a bump. Miko had the quick thinking of balancing herself backwards and avoided falling down the bay doors.

"The frag was that?"

Wheeljack checked the radar. "We got mecha-flees on our tail!" Two Terrorcons who were once Autobot Seekers had attached themselves to the rear and were tearing it asunder with servos and dental. "They're literally biting our rear." Wheeljack activated the aft guns. "Chew on this!"

The undead fliers were blasted and let go of the ship. But the victory was short-lived as an alarm began to fire and the ship's flight grew unstable.

"Not good."

"I hate it when you say that." Miko groaned.

"Those aft-bitters did some damage to the thrusters. We're losing altitude." Wheeljack pulled the controls up to try and stabilize the falling ship. "Get ready for some fine crash-landing."

Miko held onto the deck for dear life, trying to stay away from both other Wreckers. Just one imbalance, one misstep and they could crush her like tinfoil.

"Hang on!"

The Xanthium met the ground half-nose dive in what was once the Inwood Hill Park, now completely bare of trees. The ship grazed its bottom on the side of a hill, sparking friction that nearly combusted the energon. The ground came meeting the ship harshly and the vessel leaped three times.

"Jackie, you call this a _fine_ crash-landing?" Moonracer growled.

The momentum dragged the Xanthium, tearing the metal land apart in its course. At last the ship made its sudden stop when it collided with a hill. In the process it had been turned upside down and now Miko hanged by the 'ceiling', holding fiercely to a hook.

"Nice one, Jackie." She coughed. "Jackie?" Squinting her sight she saw her partner's in-stasis form, lied on the 'floor', and Moonracer sharing the same state. "Just perfect."

Balancing herself, Miko used some acrobatics to reach from hook and nook until she climbed down the wall. With two fellow Wreckers knocked out, anyone else would call for backup. But not the Wreckers. She would guard them until they recovered.

A sudden bang on the hull put her nerves on high-alert. Another bang on the same spot. And another, making a substantial dent.

"Scrap."

A final more powerful knock and a hole was punched opened in the hull. A figure peeking in with purple optics saw Miko and grinned. With two heavy servos, the Terrorcon opened the hole more to allow his large body to pass. The woman paled.

"**Hey, Miko. Long time no see.**" He greeted in an ominous friendly tone.

"Bulk?"

"**I'm back, kiddo! You look bigger, by the way. Say, remember back in the old days, you promised you'd never leave my side?**" The friendliness in his expression – if there was any of it to begin with – vanished, becoming utter malevolence. "**Where were you when that pit spawn Screamer did a Cliffjumper on me?**"

"B-Bulk…I…"

"**And making you a Wrecker was the dumbest move, if I've seen one." He grunted tauntingly. "Like a tiny meatbag like you could ever be anything more than cannon-fodder against the 'Cons. Bet my old unit has to pull your fat off the fire every mission. Not that I'm surprised, though.**"

Miko felt her heart becoming heavy with remorse, self-doubt and a bit of indignation.

"**You broke your good-for-nothing promise.**" The shell of Bulkhead knocked his wrecking-ball fists together. "**Now I'm gonna return the favor and break you!**"

Bulkhead was bringing down a wrecking-ball upon her. She aimed her rifle and fired on trigger-instinct. The missile hit Bulkhead's arm too close from her and the blast pushed them both back.

Bulkhead was tossed outside, half unconscious while his whole massive arm regenerated. Miko, however, had a stroke of ill fate. It was merely an accident, nothing intended to happen. When she fell on her back, her neck collided hardly with a thick debris on the floor. There was a crack sound, a pain in the neck. Then Miko felt, heard and saw no more.

A shard came flying inside the ship.

And Miko Nakadai rises again.


	22. Chapter 22

**Bluefeather4299, halo is a bad ass, codythedude:** I know you and a lot of people hate me for having killed off Miko. But I have no regrets whatsoever. Not because I hate the character, on the contrary, but because makes the story tragically appealing. Especially since Miko went out because of an accident. As for you, my readers, no matter how much you despise me for killing or ruining so many main characters, I know you'll continue to read my work, because you've accompanied it so far, and you're so hooked you can't let go when we're about to reach the end.

* * *

**20th April 2034. 21 Years and 170 days AE.**

**Manhattan, New York, Autobot capital.**

The day of the tormenting undead had turned into night.

Jack sped off on his makeshift non-transforming motorcycle (not Arcee) to the northern parts of the citadel, what had once been the Inhood Hill Park and the crash-landing site of the Xanthium. Wheeljack and Moonracer swore that when they awoke from stasis, they saw a Bulkhead raised from the grave but no Miko. Following some painful verbal and physical remarks from the deceased Wrecker, they managed to send him back to the afterlife. Wheeljack had looked especially brooding, afterwards.

Yet, in spite of how hard they searched, they had no idea where their human partner-in-arms was.

When Jack and Miko had returned to New York in the middle of a psycho zombie apocalypse, they split up. The mother went to help in the fight while the father looked for their son. Jack had found Smokescreen battling alongside the Elite Guard to defend the hospital. The young soldier sounded a little disturbed but he told Jack he had safely left Riku in the Bronx. Thanking him, Jack went off to find his son. He was lucky there was a small, human-sized passage through the walls even with the lockdown.

In the Bronx, he had found Riku safe and sound and took him to a temporary safehouse, leaving Girudo guarding him. The father quickly took off again in search for Miko, not telling Riku that his mother was MIA.

The man spared several looks around while he drove through Broadway. The battle was more or less ended, with only Terrorcon stragglers looming around. Those were easily spotted and cut down before they could get the jump on the living. Even with no more purple cloud or shards in the air, Optimus had ordered all corpses to be vaporized on sight or brought to the incinerator industries on Queens.

"Slag me!" He saw two Autotroopers bringing a containment pod with a Terrorcon inside. It was Cliffjumper, whom he recognized from Arcee's many descriptions over the years. He felt for his partner and how traumatized she must be. He would have comfort her later.

He arrived at the Hill Park and followed the coordinates the Wreckers offered him and the trail of destruction. Soon he came upon a Xanthium upside down and probably unable to ever fly again. He parked right outside a hole punched in the hull – courtesy of Bulkhead – and went inside cautiously, lantern in one hand, gun in the other.

The ship was dark and empty, no signs of life. He walked into the control room when the sound of a tentative step alerted him. He heard it when both his feet were on the ground. Human steps.

"Miko?"

"**Guess again.**" That voice made him freeze, his spine chilled. It was unnatural and filled him with dread. Peering the darkness were two pairs of purple eyes.

"Miko!" he gasped and pointed the lantern. The face he saw and recognized, however, was far more terrifying than Miko's.

"**What's wrong, Jack? Aren't you happy to see you mom, again?**" June Darby gave a broad smile that could split her head in two. She never smiled that widely when she was alive.

"**And boy, look how much you've grown. The years did good to you, Jacky.**" Another voice horribly familiar spoke and Jack saw another loved one back from the grave.

"**Grandpa Jeff?**" the rancher Old Jeffrey Grayson gave him the same smile as his resurrected mother.

There Jack stood, the last free man on Earth, against his undead mother and father-figure.

"**Jack, why haven't you sent me any letters on how you're doing. Look how far you went. Living in the Big Apple, with a wife and son. I'm so proud of you.**" June Darby's smirk twisted into a look of spite. "**That is what I would say if I were not so disappointed. You got one bitch pregnant, like your good-for-nothing father did. You inherited his deadbeat gene.**"

Jack kept silent, taking a step back as the zombies took one forward.

"**But that is not the reason you have let us down, Jacky. You forgot to avenge us!**" Jeffrey spat. "**Remember when you came to Geneva and you recalled what I told about never giving up, boy. You promised to yourself you'd make every stinking 'Con pay for what they did.**"

"Yeah, that's right. I did." Jack admitted. He still felt that same anger, but never did he allowed it to become an obsession, like hunting Airachnid had been to Arcee. What terrorized the most was, how does 'Old Jeffrey remembered that when Jack had never voiced those thoughts aloud? Does the souls of our loved ones remain on this Earth to spy on our minds?

"**And since that little bastard was born, you haven't been keeping that promise very well, son.**" June eyed him disdainfully. "**It's been less and less 'Con fighting, less and less maintaining your oath to our memory. You're a bigger disappointment than your father and you're no son of mine**."

Jack paralyzed for just a moment in shock to what he just heard. He lowered his head, weighted with shame. He whispered:

"I'm sorry I let you down. I'm sorry for everything I made you go through. Mom, I'm sorry for that one time I screamed at you that it was your fault dad had left." He lamented.

"**Yes, you ungrateful little runt. I remember that day.**" June snarled.

"That's funny." Jack lifted his head, his glare hard. "Because that never happened."

They had fallen for the ruse. Which meant what Optimus had said was true; these undead imitations were not the real people they claimed to be!

'June' and 'Jeffrey' launched at him like a couple of hyenas. Jack jumped out of the way and fired rounds of his energon pistol, liquidating their heads. But right away they began to regenerate.

He saw the hole and ran out of the ship when the image of energon dripping caught his eye. There was a puddle of the blue substance, feed by a string dripping by the wall. Jack quickly followed the trail and saw a rupture in the pipelines from the fuel deposit. Looking at the regenerating abominations of his long-dead loved ones one final time, Jack fired into the puddle, setting it on fire.

Then he broke into a run out of there, not even bothering to pick up his bike. He wouldn't have time to start it, anyway. The ship exploded, incinerating the two zombies inside and propelling him forward in his run.

"Scrap!" he landed face on the metal soil. He massaged his nose. "At least didn't break."

He got up and looked back, weapon at ready. The wreck that used to be the proud Xanthium burned and melted like a cocoon torn from the inside out by a fire eager to come out. The undead were nowhere to be seen. The energon bomb he just set off consumed their cadavers whole. As did his motorcycle when he saw a broken, smoking wheel roll up to his feet.

"_Jack, come in!_" that was Arcee and she sounded worried.

"I'm alright, partner."

"_I was nearing the Hill Park when I heard the explosion. What happened?_"

"Had a run-in with two zombies and barbecued them with my motorcycle serving as after-meal. But Miko isn't here."

"_I'll pick you up. We'll look for her together_."

Less than two minutes later, he began hearing her engine roaring like a Predacon and less than a minute later his partner showed up speeding like a bullet until she stopped by his side. He hopped in and the two departed.

"Any hunches where she might be?" she asked.

"HQ says they're having trouble picking up her comm-signal. Wheeljack and Moonracer searched the Hill Park from one tip to the other. My guess is…honestly, I have no idea where she could be." He despaired.

"Does Riku know?"

"No way, he's been through enough…okay, when I found him he was upset for missing the zombie action." Jack muttered the last part. "If only he knew the nightmare this was."

"Like mother, like son."

"Yeah, like mother, like son." He had to agree. A silent minute passed. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine." She answered a bit too rapidly.

"You know, the two I stumbled upon were my mom and Old Jeffrey." He said in a conversational tone. "I told her some lie about something between us that hadn't really happened and she bought it." Then he became serious. "Arcee, these things are not our friends and family. They may have their faces and memories but they're not them. What Optimus said is true; they're just some phony puppets Unicron cooked up."

"Jack, say no more. Please, I know what you're trying to do and I appreciate it. I know now those were not Cliffjumper nor Tailgate, but what they said…it still hurts. Please, I don't want to talk about that now."

And into the darkening night they rode, searching for the last free woman.

* * *

**The Bronx. Safehouse.**

Riku was dying of a horrid illness called 'boredom'.

"Can we go out, now?"

Girudo, who stood by the door of the safehouse, gave a low growl that said a clear 'no'. Since his dad brought them to this place, he got no chance of leaving with the ever-vigilant retriever guarding the door.

"Boring." Riku lied on the floor, face to the ceiling.

A knock on the door startled him. Girudo, however, became stiff and emitted a louder growl.

"Who's there?"

"It's your mom, kiddo."

"Mom!" Riku leaped on his feet with athletic accuracy. He went for the door but was stopped short by Girudo pulling on his jeans. "Girudo, let me go."

The technorganic whined in protest. It was the strangest thing, many people remarked, that Riku appeared to understand what the clever animal of the alternate Earth 'said'. Riku confessed he felt a connection with Girudo, whatever that meant. The boys expressed he merely understood what the golden retriever meant, not by words though.

"What's crawled up your tailpipe, Girudo? I wanna see mom, I promise I won't take off the klik I open the door."

The dog's whining increased in volume, giving an impression of panic. Riku quirked an eyebrow.

"What, you're saying mom's dangerous? That's slag. Come on, let go." He tried to shake him off but the dog was adamant that he would not release him. The besieging in his eyes were lost on Riku. "Girudo, let go."

An unshakable bark was the response. Without warning, Riku jerked his leg with enough force to shake him off, but not too harshly. He opened the door and was greeted by the face of his mother and her purple, glowing eyes.

On that moment Riku realized his dog had been wiser than him.

"**Hello, kiddo. Having nightmares, lately? 'Cause I have a new one for you.**"

Miko grabbed him by the throat. Girudo leaped to take her on but Miko delivered a Dark Energon-fueled kick to the head, knocking him out of the fight.

"Buddy!" Riku cried out.

"**Now it's just you and mommy.**" The Miko that had risen from death threw her progeny against the hard metal wall. His vision tripled, three Mikos moved on him, planting a foot on his stomach and pinning him down.

"Mom, please!"

"**Uh, you make me sick, you always did! Things were so easy when it was just Jack and me. We never wanted to have a brat. You hear that, kiddo? You. Were. An. ACCIDENT!**" she had leaned down and screamed that word in his hear. His eyes trembled. Flashes of words ran through his turmoil of a mind. Sick. Never wanted. Brat. Accident.

A knife of Dark Energon formed in her hand. With a murderous glee, the undead lifted her son by the throat against the wall.

"**Get ready to join mommy in hell, kiddo.**"

"No!" in a futile attempt to stop the blade, he brought his hands to Miko's wrist. What followed couldn't have been predicted by anyone. As soon as Riku's fingers touched Miko's skin, the purple light in her eyes went out and she fell like the corpse she was. The knife evaporated without a trace. Riku fell on his behind but his gaze never left the lifeless body of his progenitor.

Without warning, he curled himself and cried in the night until sleep overcame him. Girudo would soon wake up and curl up to his human friend, sharing his grief.

After midnight, an exhausted Jack Darby came home after being coerced by Arcee to go recharge before she put him in stasis at fist-point. When he opened the door, a scream of horror escaped his mouth. His girlfriend dead and his son in a shaky sleep, sweating and whimpering. Jack shed his own amount of tears before falling into a hard sleep induced by mental exhaustion.

Hours later, Riku came to wake up startled by the same nightmare of the previous night. Except that tonight, he awoke in fright with no mom to comfort him. No glass of water, no hug, no kiss. One only misses their mother's embarrassing, loving antics when she's no longer around.

* * *

**21th April 2034. 21 Years and 171 days AE.**

**Manhattan.**

Manhattan was under an intense but predictably short reconstruction effort. The damages to the infrastructure were light, considering the Terrorcons were more inclined to kill the living than to wreck the citadel. But what suffered the most damage could not be fixed by manual labor. The spirits of the Autobots were crushed, traumatized. Even the most seasoned ones were affected by the previous solar cycle.

That was clear as energon to Optimus as he walked to the Empire State Building. The endeavoring workers, the patrolling soldiers, all looked weary and distracted. With his back to a corner and gaze casted down was Jack, whom Optimus stopped to address.

"Jack, my friend. My condolences to you and Riku. She was a friend to us all and will be profoundly missed like all the others we have lost."

Jack nodded and sighed: "Thank you, Optimus."

"How is Riku enduring?"

"He's locked up in the safe house, doesn't want to see anyone. Not even Girudo. What happened with Miko…has really marked him. He's angry at me for burning her body before he could have said goodbye."

When Jack had awakened, many hours before Riku did, he took her body to the nearest incinerator as protocol demanded. Even though her corpse didn't rise any more, nobody was willing to take any chances.

"I feel for you two, but we could not take the risk of Miko rising again and spread more sorrow among our own."

"I know, Optimus. And Riku is clever enough to know that. But he just doesn't accept it."

Optimus nodded and continued on his way, passing by some more perturbed soldiers. One of them, Blades, the last Protectobot and member of Fireblade's Air Squadron, almost fell back when he distractedly bumped into Optimus:

"Are you alright, Blades?"

"Y-yes, Prime. Just didn't see where I was going." without another word, the helicopter 'Bot carried on his way. Blades had battled his fellow fallen Protectobots – Hot Spot, Groove, Streetwise and First Aid – who accused him of abandoning them to die in battle against Bruticus and replacing them with his current teammates.

Optimus arrived on the headquarters and went to consult with Ultra Magnus to verify the state of affairs before retreating to his private quarters. Before he parted ways, the second-in-command voiced a concern the Prime himself had in his processor:

"Sir, I have read reports of your previous confront with the Destroyer. For all impressions, Unicron sees us as nothing more than cybermicrobes. Why would he attack us psychologically when a being with his might would just crush us?"

Optimus paused:

"I cannot say, Ultra Magnus. You are correct to suppose that a god such as Unicron would not normally go for this approach. Perhaps he has changed his strategy. All we can be certain of is that we hardly have met what Unicron plots." Optimus added. "Besides his never-ending goal of universal annihilation."

Alone in his quarters, Optimus took a moment to appease his mind. In here he was free to vent out the mental exhaustion. But that was not the main reason he had sought out seclusion. Mentally reaching within the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus called out for the collective wisdom of the Primes stored within.

"Alpha Trion, I call upon your guidance."

"I am here, Optimus Prime."

Rather than the decrepit horror that had risen from the Honor Cemetery, this Alpha Trion was made of light with all its wisdom and ancient strength in there.

The space around Optimus and the apparition was completely black, just as it had been when he had seen the message in the Star Saber regarding the Omega Keys, years ago.

"Optimus Prime, I imagine why you have summoned my memory." Said the apparition. "As you are aware, the Covenant of Primus spoke that you would venture to a distant world, but it never spoke of the fate that befell said planet. But now that the cyberforming of this world and the reawakening of the Chaos Bringer have come to past, the Covenant's pages have revealed more.

"They spoke that, the cyberforming of Earth actually nearly engulfed and extinguished Unicron, as close as one can achieve to slaying a god."

"In the beginning, I had feared the cyberforming of Earth would actually empower the Destroyer, wise one. But the solar cycles following I fed the hope that such was not the case." Optimus admitted.

"A hope that was well-placed, for the Omega Lock's tragic effect would have kept Unicron sealed forever along with the power of the Matrix which you utilized. The cybermatter that the Lock fired was partly composed of Energon, the blood of Primus and the polar-opposite of Dark Energon. The cyberforming poisoned the in-stasis Chaos Bringer, rendering him so close to the threshold of the oblivion that not even another planetary alignment could resurrect him."

Optimus sighed. That revelation had made it clear that the ancient darkness had only awakened because of that foiled supervolcanic eruption that Rafael attempted to trigger. That super-concentrated Dark Energon inside Yellowstone must have reached the core and through an unbelievable stroke of ill fate, it rehabilitated the Chaos Bringer.

"I see your thoughts, Optimus Prime, but this is no stroke of ill fate. The Covenant reveals this second reawakening of Unicron was meant to happen. And like the first one, the Covenant says it would have terrible repercussions for the Universe. Unfortunately, it was mum on that part. I can see Unicron has a different path to achieve his goal this time, one that still eludes us."

"Then it would stand to reason the power of the Matrix would revert Unicron back into stasis lock."

The old Prime didn't reply immediately. "That course of action would function, but I believe that is not how you are meant to act. I feel there is a third party involved, one that the Covenant has briefly mentioned that should take part in overcoming the current threat.

"As I have told you once before, the Universe describes itself in many echoes and someone else's is whispering theirs into this conflict. These agents are endeavoring behind the scenes to stop the darkness through one of your allies. But the Covenant's clarity ends just there. I know not who or what this party is. All I know, or have deduced, is that they are not of this place in time and space." Alpha Trion paused to give a look to his former disciple. Optimus had looked half-way down in thought while listening to this mentor's words. "But I believe you already know who these unknown allies might be."

The last Prime met his mentor's optics. "I thank you for your wisdom, wise one."

The apparition disappeared and Optimus was back in his room, alone. He made a call on the terminal to the communications station. "Patch me through to Jackson Darby. It is urgent."

"_Right away, boss 'Bot. But-uh, we've been trying to call you, sir. We've got someone on the line who demands to speak with you._"

Optimus only needed a second to deduce whom it was. Only one other Cybertronian would _demand_ to speak with him.

He made his way to the main communication central where Ironhide was waiting with a sneer to the main screen where the caller's face was.

"What do you want, Megatron?"

"_I want a great many things, Optimus. One of them is seeing you and every other Autobot impaled on the valleys and mountains surrounding Ristvak'baen_."

"Keep dreaming, Buckethead." Ironhide spat but Megatron ignored him.

"_But for now I can contend myself with a temporary alliance against our shared foe, as we have done before. By now I am sure you have dealt with his _blessing_, too."_ Megatron muttered.

"I have neither the use nor the inclination to ally myself with you." Optimus answered flatly.

"_Make yourself sound reluctant all you want, but in the end you will accept my assistance. Consider it, but don't take too long._" And he hang up.

"He can shove it up Unicron's tailpipe." Ironhide sneered then turned to Prime. "So what's the plan, Optimus?"

Without replying, he made another attempt to call Jack Darby. He needed to speak, but it was not with the man.

* * *

**The Bronx, safehouse.**

Optimus arrived at the cubical safehouse that reached just about his forehead in height. This was the new Darby residence since the previous one had been crushed by Terrorcons. Jack came out the door, looking up at him with emotional weariness.

"He's upstairs, you can talk to him through that window." Jack pointed to the window reaching up to Optimus' optic level. "Smokescreen just came by. Riku did speak to him a bit, but not me."

"He is grieving, but so are you, my friend. You two will find common ground and overcome this loss."

Jack sighed. "I hope so."

"I have spoken with Team Build. They shall have your home in Manhattan repaired in five kliks time."

"No!" Jack said a bit more hotly than he intended. "That house…was meant for three. I don't want to go back there. And I think neither does Riku."

"I understand. I will talk with him now."

Jack went back inside and Optimus approached his eye to the window. The room was vacant of furniture, save for a blanket on the floor. Riku was sitting with his back against a wall:

"I heard everything, Prime. No offense, but I don't feel like talking. Just leave me alone."

"Riku, I could tell you how much loss I have endured of people I considered family. Cybertronians do not have parental relations, hence I have never had a mother myself to know and mourn. I cannot quite conceive how you feel. Yet, even if I could, to do so would be hypocritical of me, as I would be doing it ultimately for my own advantage."

Riku lifted his gaze. Hypocrite? Own advantage? What did he meant by that?

"Riku, I told your father I wanted to speak to you in order to aid in surpassing this, but in reality, I have come to ask for your help."

Now that brought out more of the boy's curiosity. "What help?"

"I regret having to ask this of you, but can you please tell me the exact circumstances when Miko halted her assault on you."

Riku stiffened. He didn't want to remember that, he wanted to forget the face and the words.

"I just _touched_ it. That's all to it." He answered rather quickly and fell silent again. No way he would refer to that zombie as '_her'_! Optimus wisely and mercifully inquired no more.

"_Before Miko was incinerated, Ratchet made a quick scan and found no trace of Dark Energon remaining in the corpse._" Optimus thought. Without waiting another moment, Optimus commed Jack to come outside.

"What is it, Optimus?"

"I need you and Riku to come with me to the War Council, at once."

"What?" both Darby said in unison. Riku had moved out of his corner and looked out the window with a completely lost face. Optimus had him leap on his hand and transformed to transport the two.

"Optimus, you're being kinda pushy." Riku commented.

* * *

Optimus, Jack and Riku came into the War Council, the third of them feeling timid, something he wasn't very accustomed to. It was on this vast, secured room that the high-rank 'Bots made their decisions. Riku had never been in a place of such importance before and, were circumstances different, he would beam at this.

Besides Ultra Magnus and Rodimus, Ratchet joined them soon after. Optimus was about to speak when a screen on the wall lit up. It was a call from the communications central.

"What is it?"

"_Prime,_" an officer spoke. "_we got another one calling for a friendly refuel lunch_." The clerk on the screen was replaced by Goldbug of all mechs! Riku felt a pinch in the heart, seeing for the first time what had become of the friend he had grown up with.

"_Greetings Optimus Prime of the Autobots. I speak in the name of my King to deliver a proposition. He is willing to lend his forces in a combined effort to save this planet. With one stipulation._"

"And what is this stipulation?"

"_My King demands the slaves you have stolen to be returned to his stead, at once._"

The Autobots and Jack gave hard glares. Optimus' however was emotionless like stating a universal fact:

"Your offer is denied." And he flatly hang up.

* * *

**Australia, Alpha Hive.**

"Well?" asked Rafael Esquivel's voice through the computer. His vocal cords hadn't moved since last year.

Goldbug turned from the terminal which he had just spoken to Optimus Prime. This was his first time inside the mythical Alpha Hive, the sanctuary of the King.

"He refused, just as you predicted, my King."

"Oh, well. Better write a memo to definitely not invite Prime to my next b-day. What do you say, General?"

When Adeline Fitzgerald rose inside the Alpha Hive, Rafael's body in suspended animation was defenseless, as all the layers of defensive guns were in the outer wall of the hive to keep away the undead. But Goldbug, who had been lured by the sounds of battle, broke into the hive to his King's rescue. As a reward, the 'prodigal son' was rewarded as field commander of the Swarm. Every other scraplet was his to command, after the King, of course.

"I think Prime was a fool not to agree to your terms."

"Well spoken!" Rafael cackled madly. "Now enough chit-chat and lets get to _trabajo_. Those good-for-nothing Autobots took my employees without a proper letter of dismissal, so it's perfectly legal they're still mine. Opti-poo won't give them willingly, I'll just take them."

* * *

**Empire State Building, War Council Room.**

Optimus turned his face to his allies: "Autobots, I have decided to join forces with Megatron and venture into the core of Earth to battle the Chaos Bringer once again."

The others were not at all satisfied nor relieved to hear that. Ratchet stressed irritably about last time, Megatron took advantage of the side effects and added an amnesic Orion Pax to his ranks.

"I am well aware of this risks of such a second attempt. Which is why I have taken precautions. This time I require Riku to join me."

If the others were upset before, they now were shocked. Optimus proceeded. "I have spoken with Alpha Trion, who told there are agents who maintain themselves hidden, beings that are not part of this time and place. I believe these beings are the technorganic aliens of the future whom were encountered by Riku, Smokescreen and Scope." He turned to Riku. "You still recall them, do you not?"

"How could I forget." He shrugged.

Little less than a year ago, the three and Bumblebee went to visit the banished Rafael when he still lived near Geneva. An accident with a modified groundbridge built by the mad man caused Riku, Smoke and Scope to be transported to different alternate Earths. It was on one of the alternate Earths they had picked up Girudo.

Their final destination was a technorganic jungle planet in the far, far future. It turned out the three of them had been pulled there by a race of unimaginably advanced technorganic creatures. They upgraded Riku by enhancing his muscular development, transforming him into the extremely fit teenager he is today. "Optimus, that was practically a freak accident Riku was lucky to survive. How can you be so sure…" Jack's protest was cut off by his son:

"When I was plugged to the Techno-Angel aliens, they said I had to act on the past to ensure their future."

"Therefore, that must be the reason why they gifted Riku with the ability to nullify Dark Energon." Optimus' words had everyone but Ratchet caught by surprise. The Prime carried on, speaking mostly to Riku. "That was how you were able to stop Miko. When Jack brought the body, I had Ratchet make an instant scan that revealed zero traces of Dark Energon."

"Optimus, all due respect but this is stupid. My son is not some anti-Unicron weapon experimented by aliens." Jack protested.

"Sir, I must agree with Jack." Ultra Magnus voiced.

Riku kept silent, lost about what to say or even think, while everyone else argued about him. His eyes travelled to the hand he had touched the corpse of his mother with.

"Then allow us a test." Optimus turned to his CMO, who exited the room and returned with a box that emitted raspy noises. He opened it before the assembly who was shocked and disgusted to see one of Ratchet's told moving by itself. The purple coloration was an obvious indicator of how it was moving. Fortunately the undead tool was tightly strapped to the box.

"Doctor, what is that?" Rodimus gave a disgusted look to the thing.

"I think it's obvious, Rodimus Major. At Optimus' request, I have infused a single drop of the dark substance on this tool for a test. And for the record, this is actually a tool I _don't_ need."

"You have experimented with _Dark_ Energon?" Ultra Magnus' brow furrowed and the doctor replied in kind.

"By Optimus' command and with great precautions."

"What is this test about, anyways?" Jack was losing his patience and not liking where this conversation was going since the moment Optimus said Riku would go with him.

"Riku, if you would touch the tool, please." Optimus offered his palm for Riku to climb on, but Jack grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Hell no, Prime! My son isn't touching anything Unicronified."

"I'm not a kid anymore!" Riku snarled and yanked himself off his father's hand. Jack gave a stunned look that turned into a frown at the boy's back. Riku jumped on the hand and was lifted up to the table.

Riku gazed upon a motorcycle-sized hook of a sorts with purple lines pulsing all over. The tool trembled against its bounds, hissing softly. When it sensed the human nearing, the hisses became louder and more frequent.

"Fear not, Riku. We are here with you." Optimus reassured him. The Autobots and Jack, who was on Ultra Magnus' hand, watched ready to intervene at any second. Jack's body was stiff, his eyes nailed the murderous tool for any sign of imminent danger.

Riku was but two steps from the thing. He took a breath and laid his hand on the cold metal, not daring to touch the purple veins. The tool made one last hiss and shut down completely, the veins disappearing without a trace.

Ratchet scanned it without preambles. "Success, zero traces of Dark Energon. As if it had never been infected in the first place."

"Great, that settles it. I'm going." Riku didn't bear the stubborn smile he usually did when he put a task on his mind. It was a cold determination splattered on his face. Jack had Magnus put him on the table and made heavy steps towards his son.

"Riku, the only place you're going is back home." Jack shot a demanding frown.

"I'm the only one who can do this, so I'm going with Optimus."

"Damn it, boy! I am you father!"

"But you're not my mother, you buried her without me, remember?"

Jack was taken aback. Beneath the stunned look, there was a small equal measure of hurt and regret. Riku faced the Autobots, who had wisely remained outside the verbal exchange.

"Ready to go, Prime."

Optimus looked at Jack. "I regret to say it, but I am imposing my authority as Autobot leader to take Riku with me." The man gazed at Optimus, more speechless than ever. The other 'Bots shared his feelings. Never before had their leader had the children be put on a mission with even slight risk-level. Only when Jack, Miko and Rafael reached adulthood did he concede.

"But I vow to you, Jack. I will never allow any harm to come to him."

Jack spared a look to Riku whose face was of unbreakable stubbornness. The father made his decision. "If you need any human help, I'll go. I have the Key to Vector Sigma. If those aliens have some kind of future plan to solve this, then the Key must be involved. They were the ones who gave it back."

The Key had been lost when Outpost Omega One was destroyed following the last hours of humanity. Riku, Smokescreen and Scope returned from their timeline-hopping escapade with the Key given by the aliens. Somehow, in the future the Key would be recovered…

"So be it." Optimus turned to Ultra Magnus. "Commander, I want our troops to remain ready for any attack, be they Decepticon, scraplets or Unicron. Rodimus, you will take charge of the combiners and have them ready to deploy at any time."

"Yes, sir." The subordinates saluted in unison.

* * *

**Five miles from Kansas City, buffer zone**.

Megatron waited patiently, the only sound in the air were Predaking's soft growls. Optimus had just called him to announce his agreement to an alliance and concur on a rendezvous point. Megatron had beforehand advised Prime he would take the mightiest Predacon as backup. Optimus himself revealed he would take his own backup.

The warlord's wait ended when a groundbridge vortex opened before him. Predaking's growled under his breath when the hated Prime revealed himself, battlemask on.

"Optimus." Megatron greeted emotionlessly. "Where is your backup?"

Optimus's optics didn't leave his archenemy for a klik when Jack and Riku emerged from the vortex that closed. To say Megatron was surprised was an understatement:

"These are your backup?" he chuckled darkly, bathing them in an examining look. He recognized the older Jack from captured images of Soundwave. But the smaller one, he did not know. It wasn't any of the previous human pets and, while Megatron was no expert on human growth, he would wager an energon cube that one was born after the cyberforming of Earth.

"So you have taken in a new pet to replace the one gone astray, Optimus?" Megatron gave the boy a dark look, which made Riku almost die of fright.

So this was the infamous Lord of the Decepticons in the metal. He had seen many pictures and videos of him, heard hundreds of tales. All of them screamed 'bad news', but couldn't be compared to the menacing titan in person.

"Enough, Megatron. We have a mission to accomplish." Optimus demanded.

"As you wish, Prime. Soundwave…"

"No." Optimus halted him. "We will utilize an Autobot groundbridge."

"You still do not trust me?" Megatron quirked an eyebrow.

"Never again. Rodimus, lock on Unicron's coordinates and open the groundbridge."

A new vortex flashed open and the group went in. First Megatron with Predaking tailing behind, and finally Optimus with the last free, sane humans in existence. Jack made sure to keep Riku within arm's length as they dove into the darkness.

* * *

I know there's no oxygen inside **Unicron** but this time, I'll make an exception. I don't want **Jack** and Riku to carry breathing devices that could run out or crack in what follows.

There will be some negative interaction between **Megatron** and R**i**ku, and some not so negative between the latter and **Predaking**.


	23. Beneath and Above

**Fanatic97**: As I already told you and now I'm telling everyone of my readers, I did at first intended to bring a battle with Zombie Trypticon, but only with the point of showing the random destruction he would cause on Decepticon territory. That chapter was too large, already.

By the time Optimus tested Riku's gift, the zombies had all been mopped up. And if Optimus knew that Trypticon was rampaging in the Decepticon capital, he would have let him until he threatened Autobot territory.

As for the missed battle with Trypticon: imagine Trypticon going to ram Ristvak'baen to take out the fusion cannons. But they fired first and destroyed the zombie ship. Unfortunately Trypticon's wreck was flying too close and the blast destroyed the cannons, though the tower still stands.

**Game-Watch**: since we're close to the end, I don't mind giving you a bit of spoilers. After the Unicron escapade, there will be another short adventure, then a flashback chapter and finally the two conclusive chapters. Maybe even an epilogue for the s...Okay, enough spoilers.

**Kaleia:** Megatron and someone else do interact a bit with Riku on this one. A bit, mind you.

**Redlinevcr**: no, sorry but Miko is gone. But look on the bright side, in a countless number of alternate Earths, she still lives.

**LuisJM:** if you read the whole previous two chapters, you'd know the Terrorcons were beaten and incinerated.

* * *

**21th April 2034. 21 Years and 171 days AE.**

**Earth's core.**

Dark and cold. Not darker or as colder as any place Riku had ever seen. Granted he had been restrained to Geneva for most of his life, the adventure on alternate worlds thanks to Uncle Raf's mad portal being the exception.

As far as he could tell, he was now inside Earth's core, or more to the point, inside Unicron's body. Growing up, he had heard the stories of the Autobots' escapades. Optimus' first adventure into Earth's core was one of such. In time, Unicron became a boogeyman of sorts that Riku stopped believing in when he turned eleven.

And now he was inside the boogey-man, following Optimus Prime, a freaking Predacon and the Lord Buckethead himself! Talk about seeing is believing.

A hand griped his shoulder. "Riku, stay sharp." Oh, and his dad was present, too.

"Whatever." he grunted and swatted the hand away.

Jack sighed irritated and moved just slightly away from his son, but not too much. His eyes gazed to Megatron and Predaking, who had their backs to the humans and Optimus as they led the way. Optimus slowed his steps a bit to get closer to the man:

"I see you and Riku have not yet mended ways."

"Now there's an understatement. He blames me for not seeing his mother one last time."

Optimus sighed. "I wish I could help you, old friend. But as I have never been anything akin to a father or a guardian, it would be arrogant and unwise of me to advise you. All I can say is to let time mend the wound."

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes I fear the time we have is much shorter than we could hope. Miko…" Jack felt a ball of bile rise up his throat at the thought of his late partner-in-arms. He kept silent for a while to let the pain subside.

To change the subject, he looked around into the darkness. Optimus had told the tales of his last incursion into Unicron's insides, years ago. He described the place as illuminated by Dark Energon and chock-full with deathtraps. So far, neither purple light or death had they encountered. Everything seemed dead.

"Gotta say, Optimus, this doesn't look half as chaotic as I envisioned."

Optimus hummed before replying. "That fact was not lost on me. I can feel Unicron's presence, but he is not watching us." the Prime halted his pace and kneeled to touch ground. "Unicron lives but his shell appears to be in total stasis."

"You talk like he's in a comma. Dead body, but mind still kicking." Jack casted a look to the warlord's back. Too think that said warlord had been in the same state more than two decades ago. It felt like a lifetime ago, when he thought about it. But Jack snuffed out those thoughts. The past was dead.

Optimus lowered his voice. "Alpha Trion revealed to me the cyberforming of Earth poisoned Unicron. The cybermatter contains energon, the polar-opposite of Unicron's own blood."

"Which is like me getting a blood transfusion from an incompatible donor." Jack resumed.

"In human terms, I believe so. Energon is the blood of Primus, and thus a poison to the Chaos Bringer. Unicron's husk may indeed be sealed forever, even though his immortal anti-spark lives on."

"So Earth getting cyberformed put Unicron in an irreversible coma? The 'Cons actually did one good thing for the Universe. What were the odds?" Jack smiled bitterly. He changed to a frown when he looked at the backs of their 'guides'. "Bet Buckethead knew or suspected all of this already. No wonder he and his pet dragon are so relaxed."

Optimus' optics buried into Megatron's back. "Jack, leave me to maintain watch over Megatron. You focus on keeping Riku out of harm's way, no matter how much he may try to drive away your attempts."

* * *

**Empire State Building, New York Autobot HQ.**

"_Still nothing, Magnus_." The holographic projection of Rodimus Major's face spoke from outside the city's limits. "_I have Superion on the skies and the Dinobots hitching to combine and pound something. But we've got nothing. No 'Cons, no scraplets, no Dark-Energon-infused creepy stuff._"

"Maintain a sharp optic, Major. Unicron's attac-..." the Commander was cut off by the doors being burst open. Every 'Bot had their guns hot and ready to vaporize the supposed intruder. To their shock it was one of their own, Smokescreen, standing there. He sported a few dents, likely gained from recent hand-to-hand combat. Magnus spotted the guards outside the door knocked in stasis.

"Elite Guardsbot Smokescreen, what is the meaning of this?" Magnus demanded to know as he and the others lowered their weapons.

"Commander, I think _I_'m the one entitled to ask that question to _you_." Smokescreen's had his optics deeply frowned. A rare expression on him, like it didn't belong. "I've just heard that _my_ _partner_ was chosen by Optimus to accompany him to a mission inside Unicron. And that Megatron of all 'Cons is coming with them!"

Magnus turned his gaze to Rodimus' head. "I'll call you back, Major." he terminated the call and looked back to Smokescreen. "You heard correct, soldier."

Smokescreen's optics trembled just for a klik. The frown disappeared. He had hoped Ultra Magnus would tell him he had heard wrong and that Riku was still resting in his home, preferring to be alone. To hear it from a no-joking Autobot such as Magnus made the rumor as solid truth as cybertitanium that Smokescreen found himself staggering back one step.

"Riku…and Optimus…Optimus just let him?" now he was hysterical. "What the scrap was Optimus thinking?!"

Ultra Magnus felt sympathy for him, but he was a soldier above all other things and despite comprehending Smokescreen's indignation, he could not let this stand. He turned to the guards stationed inside the control center. "Escort Elite Guardsbot Smokescreen to the brig."

The guards obeyed without question. So livid Smokescreen was he didn't even fought his captors and allowed them to take him in. Ultra Magnus sighed and just for a moment his stern face broke into one of pity, but he rearranged it before the other occupants of the room noticed it. "Return to your duties, all of you!" none dared obeying that order too late.

Magnus himself strove not to appear anymore in need of recharge after that little episode. The nextcycles droned on, filled with reports delivered and orders given. The dullness ended when the Commander vacated the center to attend other duties.

Not a single hallway was void of Autobots who appeared to have spent a hundred megacycles in the deepest depression. Only one in particular drew more out of Magnus than just a glance. In a lonesome corridor, head against a wall was how he found Ratchet.

"Doctor, is there a problem?" the medic revealed the haunted semblance Magnus had seen on every face that day, only magnified tenfold.

"No problem, Commander." that reply was obviously not true. Ratchet's voice was distant, monotonous, empty of the irritance the old 'Bot was known for. It was like talking to a sparkless machine. "Just reminding myself that even a medic is vulnerable to sickness. Both in husk and Spark."

Ultra Magnus nodded. Ratchet reciprocated and walked away in the opposite direction. No more words were exchanged, there was no need.

"_The Night of Unicron impacted us more than the loss of Geneva. The Decepticons won't be this afflicted. If we Autobots are to keep fighting, we must help each other heal._" it was with those thoughts in the processor that the Commander walked to the brig.

* * *

Smokescreen had been left to sulk and occasionally punch a wall to relieve the pent up anger. When the cell door opened and Ultra Magnus stood at the threshold, the young 'Bot was relatively calm.

"Soldier, walk with me."

Wordlessly, Smokescreen walked out of the brig and followed him. They exited the HQ and rolled through the street into what used to be Battery Park. There they used the elevator to get atop the walls surrounding Manhattan.

The view was immense from up there, but nothing the Autobots hadn't seen before. It was much less impressive with the city still in repairs.

Ultra Magnus took in the sight and finally talked. The two hadn't shared a word since the Commander issued to order to follow him. "Smokescreen, Optimus was reluctant to bring Riku but it turns out your partner has a gift. He can, somehow, nullify the effects of Dark Energon." seeing Smokescreen's bewildered face, he elaborated. "Most certainly it was bestowed upon him by the aliens of the future you, Riku and Scope encountered on your escapade."

"Swell." he muttered dejectedly. He didn't like remembering the fiasco that was their adventure on those alternate dimensions where every Earth looked more bizarre than the last. The final alternate world they landed was no Earth – not one they could recognize as such - but rather a technorganic jungle planet where some super-advanced, mysterious aliens - the Techno-Angels - abducted Riku and changed him. "I hated that day. It was one craziness after another and to top it off, I let Riku out of my sight."

"You are starting to sound like Arcee when Jack was young." Magnus commented, startling Smokescreen with a slight note of... humor? He was almost just as surprised to realize the bigger 'Bot was right.

"And with good reason, Riku's a magnet of trouble. I just don't get it; why would Optimus allow Riku to come anywhere near Megatron in the first place, even if he's needed to stop Unicron? The Optimus I know would never even consider letting Megatron look at the kids."

"_Yes, that was not lost on me._" Magnus looked down in thought. "_Optimus is increasingly inclined to pay steeper prices to end this war. Years ago he allowed the humans to join our fight when they reached adulthood. And now he has taken Riku to the heart of the Chaos Bringer with no protection barring himself and Jack. The losses we have endured in the last stellar cycles have hardened Prime more than the millions of years of struggle on Cybertron._"

A silent pause followed, broke only by the far off sounds of Autobots working and moving down below.

"Elite Guardsbot," Magnus emerged with his military officer face on. "I expect you to carry out your penalty with cleaning duty on the empty energon tanks on for the duration of the week. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir. Crystal clear, sir." Smokescreen knew he wouldn't be off the hook with just a stay on the brig. Part of him wanted to chuckle at the Commander's habit of swinging between a caring leader and an unemotional one. When Magnus had come to Earth, he was just the same no-sense soldier he was on Cybertron, with no room for the patience and charisma of Optimus.

"_His time with the Team and the humans loosed him up a bit. Scrap, it changed all of us._" Smokescreen descended from the wall and travelled to the Queens district, location of the majority of the local energon refineries and warehouses.

Once he arrived at the warehouse with all the piled tanks awaiting cleansing service, Smokescreen was surprised to hear a bark. Girudo, the technorganic golden retriever, came running towards the Guardsbot.

Of all the metal giants, Smoke was the one Girudo had interacted with most, thus making him the 'Bot he felt the least afraid of. Mind you, this was all relatively speaking because Smokescreen barely gave any attention to the dog.

"Uh, so you too noticed Riku ditched us." he started awkwardly. The animal simply whined.

Smokescreen sighed tiredly; Riku talked with the animal to the point of having short conversations with it. The Autobot had no idea if his partner could truly communicate or just pretended to. Girudo was a clever creature, but it couldn't be _that_ smart to understand language. Could he?

"Let me ask you something. Those Techno-Angels upgraded Riku after capturing him and you. Magnus says Optimus deduced they gave Riku some power that shuts down Unicron. If they did it because they knew the Chaos Bringer would be back, did they improved you, too? You got any idea of what's gonna happen?"

The dog sat down and wagged its tail.

"Yeah, I thought so." with grumpy sarcasm, he walked into the warehouse to begin the tedious punishment. All the while, Girudo sat there watching his owner's partner.

Cyclesdanced by, taunting the 'Bot. The job was known to be dull, but Smokescreen didn't feel the tedious atmosphere didn't get to him. His thoughts orbited around whatever insane dangers Riku was facing.

But was that what truly angered him, despite knowing Jack and Optimus would protect him with everything they had, or was it the fact he was the last to know his partner had embarked on a dangerous mission?

A 'Bot drove in and transformed. The average Autobot was a follower of the rules. Wheeljack was, in many ways, a rebel. This day he proved it again: while most 'Bots were low-spirited or even traumatized, he was flat out tense but furious. His scowl shouted 'touch me and I'll stuff your own servo up your tailpipe.' It wasn't everyday a Wrecker discovered his current partner had gone offline. Making matters worse was that Miko probably perished at the hands at the hands of Terrorcon Bulkhead.

Silent as a Soundwave, he paced towards a pile of clean tanks that Smokescreen had finished polishing.

"What brings you here?" the Guardsbot blurted out.

"Came to pick up the energon containers of the Xanthium. You gotta problem with that?" the Wrecker's growl and look practically begged for someone for him to pulverize his rage onto. Any other normal day, Smokescreen would have the wisdom not to make himself a potential target. But this was not a normal day for the Guardsbot.

"Yeah, I might have a problem. Just try not to soil those. They were more of a mess to clean up than the rest."

Wheeljack had picked up the objects and turn back. "Whatever, scrub 'Bot."

Annoyed, Smoke grownled. "Try not letting any more partners die on your way out." before he even realized what he had said, there was a thundering sound of metal falling on the floor and Wheeljack's fist flew so fast into Smokescreen's chin that would give Blurr a run for his money.

The Guardsbot fell on his back, the half-clean container discarded beside him. Towering above him was Wheeljack with a killing look and clenched, trembling fists. The Wrecker looked just about to hit him again. Instead he snarled something imperceptible and left with the containers.

Smokescreen got up back on his pedes with a sulking face. He knew he had touched a big nerve and he should apologize. But at the moment he wasn't in the mood to go to Wheeljack, and frankly he doubted the Wrecker was in the mood to accept apologies.

A soft whine showed Girudo approaching him. The dog had hidden when Wheeljack made his entrance. Still fearful of the other metal giants, he was.

On a whim, Smokescreen decided to humor the dog again and pretend to communicate: "Yeah, he can throw mean punches, the guy. Last time a friend of Wheeljack's died, he and Miko hunted down the rustpile who did it. This time there's no one for him to get revenge on."

Thousands of miles beneath and unnoticed by him, the earth trembled.

* * *

**Earth's core.**

"What now?" Jack groaned as everything trembled.

"Unicron." Megatron shouted. The shaking was joined by the constant sound of air being pushed by a torrent of liquid. The darkness was shredded by purple light. Everyone turned in horror to see a wave of Dark Energon running towards them.

"Run!" Optimus picked up Jack and Riku and rolled in the opposite direction. Megatron transformed and took flight, Predaking following suite. The 'cave' was wide enough to fly in.

"Optimus, it's gaining on us." Riku watched through theside mirror the purple wave was getting bigger and closer.

"Look there!" Jack pointed to a plateau running on the left side of the cave. It was high enough above the wave. And as luck would have it, the road splintered on a ramp that turned left and ended above the road. It was perfect for Optimus to drive and perform a stunt that could get them to higher, safer ground.

"Hang on." the Prime sped up and drove through the ramp to its end. Gaining momentum, Optimus transformed, holding the two humans on his gentle hands. He glided above the Dark Energon wave washing the road beneath and it hopefully it seemed they were going to reach the plateau.

Their luck turned sour when the quake displaced a bull-sized boulder off the ceiling and hit Optimus' hand holding Riku. The hit didn't hurt, only stung and that was enough for the hand to open just a bit. And through that tiny opening, Riku slipped out.

"RIKU!" Optimus and Jack cried out when they saw the boy plunging into the glowing purple blood.

Riku's face was turned downwards, the purple reflecting on his wide eyes. This was it. He was going to drown in Unicron's essence and probably come back as a psychotic zombie.

Instead the splash he expected to end with, Riku heard a clang and felt the pain of colliding face-first in metal. He was in a hand, but unlike Optimus' this one had talons for digits. He peeked through the space between fingers and recognized with horror his savior:

"Predacon!" he had just been rescued by Predaking, who flew to parts unknown.

"Riku!" he heard his dad cry out and saw him and Optimus rolling after them through the plateau, but they were falling behind. The Predacon was faster and was not limited to the ground. Riku saw his guardians becoming dimmer and dimmer until he saw them no more.

"I'm toast." He said to himself. This flying, fire-breathing retro-rat was going to take him to Buckethead, who would slowly disintegrate him, no doubt.

The ride was shorter than he had hoped. Predaking landed in a plateau where Megatron was patiently standing. The tyrant turned to the Predacon, hands behind his back in a pensive mood.

"Predaking, what took you so long?" Megatron didn't expect the creature to answer verbally, but he was smart and should have at least an excuse. The beast opened his clawed forepaw and revealed Riku to a surprised Megatron.

"What is the meaning of this? Why have you brought one of the Autobots' pets?"

The Predacon snarled softly and Megatron made a roared sigh. Judging by this reaction, it was obvious to Riku that Buckethead hadn't ordered this abduction.

"What are you going to do to me?" he tried to speak with the least bit of fear.

"For the time being, nothing. Optimus and I stand allies against a common foe. It would not do if I were to crush one of his precious pets." Megatron turned his back to him and the Predacon, going back to his thoughts.

Riku would have asked what now but he didn't want to speak to the 'Con leader more than he needed to. That look gave him the creeps, so he turned his gaze to the other side and saw Predaking was observing him.

"Where are you looking at?" in spite of its size being twice of Megatron's, the beast scared Riku much less. The predacon just stared with an unexpected intensity. Riku wondered if it wasn't thinking him for food. He decided to ignore the dragonic alien and turned his gaze the other way to find Megatron's foreboding optics nailed to him. To say everyone else staring at you was discomforting was putting it lightly.

"What?"

"I am curious about something." Megatron analyzed him. "Tell me, how do you feel being the youngest free human? What is it like to know you will grow old and die as the last of your species? If you are fortunate, of course."

That caught Riku unexpectedly. He had tried to mentally prepare for some ominous death threat, not a question born out of curious whim.

Thinking the question over, Riku didn't know how to respond. He had never met any other humans. Growing up among giant robots, Riku had found enough friends. Though sometimes he had wondered what would be like to meet, play and grow up with others like him. Kids who wouldn't see him as something so little that needs constant protection, but rather something like a peer and an equal.

Megatron continued, his tone getting sadistic. "If it appeases you, I think after I eradicate the Autobots, I may allow Shockwave to preserve you for further study. He is no Airachnid but sometimes entertains himself in analyzing extinct specimens."

Riku tensed and wisely chose to ignore the threat. He was thankful for the growing sound of a speeding truck. Before Optimus completely stopped, Jack leaped out of the cabin and pounced on Riku like a retro-rat over energon.

"Riku!" his dad crushed him with a hug. It was embarrassing enough for the son in the presence of Optimus Prime, not to mention Megatron's. "Thank God you're alright."

"I'm fine, dad. Thanks." Riku awkwardly untangled himself from his father's arms. Optimus stomped his way right to Megatron. Predaking snarled at the Prime, who ignored the beast completely.

"Megatron, I demand you tell why you had your beast abduct Riku?" the Decepticon met Optimus in the optic and humphed:

"Your pet holds no value to me. Predaking captured it by his own accord." now Optimus turned his face to the snarling beast. It was plain to see Predaking still hated Optimus, for the latter attempted to wipe out the former's army with the Star Saber during the battle of Geneva.

Now that he thought about the mighty sword, not once had Megatron gloated about it. Optimus had deduced the Predacon, who stole the saber in the heat of battle, had given it to the Lord of the Decepticons. But if Megatron had it, he would have bragged in his face by now.

And now, Predaking had just acted without Megatron's consent, inadvertently saving Riku. Optimus had before concluded the original Predacon was not mindless. But if the beast had enough of a cunning mind to make decisions by itself, could he have chosen to keep the Star Saber away from Megatron?

"_It would make sense. When I chased Predaking for the Star Saber, he didn't flew to Decepticon territory until I lost him._" In his thoughts, he focused on the beast, who kept glaring menacingly at him. "_Megatron may have a super-soldier with a dangerous mind on his servos._"

Optimus turned his attention back to Megatron when he declared: "This was not Unicron's intention to vanquish us. I can feel the Chaos Bringer doesn't know we are here, as opposed to last time." The tyrant touched a wall, feeling the dormancy of titan's comatose husk.

"Yes, I had learnt as much that he can use his body no longer. We may use the element of surprise, this time." Optimus voiced.

"There's one thing I don't get, Optimus." Jack voiced. "If Unicron can't use his body and doesn't know we're here, how come he sent a Dark-En bath at us?"

Optimus pondered. "Unicron may be using his unmoving shell as a conduit to launch Dark Energon to the surface with more ease."

"For what purpose? He should know we'll be expecting another army of the living dead. He wouldn't use the same trick, twice. Would he?"

"I don't think so, Jack. What the Chaos Bringer's next move is, I cannot imagine."

Megatron interrupted. "All the more reason we must make haste to Unicron's anti-spark chamber."

* * *

**Bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.**

The oceanic metal crust was kept undisturbed since the cyberforming. A layer of metal shielded from daylight and war by an enormous volume of raw energon. Today, that lethargic peace ended.

The bottom of the sea all over globe shook just slightly as the layers were pierced from the inside out. In many distant spots, 'bot sized spires of crystalised Dark Energon grew out of the crust like weeds.

With so much regular energon to dissolve the blood of Unicron, the spires were too few and too little to do significant harm to the oceans of raw fuel.

But the more time passed, the more spires sprouted and more venomous fuel invaded the oceans.

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Energon refinery Gamma-34. Decepticon Imperium.**

General rule, life for a Decepticon drone was harsh and short. But Steve II considered himself fairly happy and lucky. Most drones were used to make the menial or too dangerous tasks, or simply served as cannon-fodder. Yet, a single Vehicon in a thousand got served with safe, if dull jobs. Such as monitoring a remote outpost such as this refinery.

Steve II was a happy Vehicon with his lonesome but safe job. The only social contact he got was the regular cargo-ships that came collecting the energon. But that didn't bother him. Being assigned to single-handedly oversee Gamma-34 was the most boring job in the Decepticon Imperium. And as long as it was safe, Steve II was happy.

The beeping from his instruments interrupted Steve II's tumbling with his fingers.

"The scrap?" he walked over to the monitor which was outputting some strange readings from the probes on the conduits that sucked the raw material from the ocean. The chemistry of the unrefined fuel was changing slowly. It appeared to be changing in a gradual pattern over the last cycles.

"Toxicity has been steadily increasing beyond ordinary levels. But still hasn't exceed acceptable limits." Steve II hummed and then shrugged it off. "Must be something in the ocean. It'll pass. No point warning Ristvak'baen about it. If I called them, they'd remember I'm still here and order me to go help in rebuilding after Terrorcon Trypticon trashed the place."

* * *

**Energon Stock Vault, Queens, New York City**.

Smokescreen had lost count of how many tanks he had scrubbed shiny so far. Yet, he was nowhere near finished. The other 'Bots on the same duty were all Autotroopers and quite frankly, they weren't the chattiest company.

The only other companion was Girudo, who was distractedly observing while resting atop the cleaned tanks. The retriever had stuck with watching Smokescreen working for no reason. The Autobot suspected he simply gained a sadistic pleasure in watching him laboring his aft off.

Girudo, in fact, was watching Smokescreen's serve his punishment out of boredom. Riku was nowhere to be found and he couldn't find anything fun to keep himself entertained. If only Riku was here…

A vibe!

Girudo shot up and barked repeatedly as much as his technorganic lungs allowed him. He knew on every cybernetically-enhanced nerve in his body that something bad was about to happen. The Great Venom beneath the ground was moving.

Smokescreen was startled and looked up from his tank. Girudo tried to warn him. Unfortunately, the message was not understood.

"Look, I got no time to play, or Magnus is gonna put me under the scrap." He tried to gently swat the technorganic away. "Go find someone else to annoy."

Giving a semblance of a frustrated snarl, Girudo ran out of the warehouse.

"Weirdo." Smokescreen sighed.

Girudo gazed into the ocean and howled. Colorblind as dogs are, he couldn't see any change in the raw energon. Rather it was something in his brain that barked an alarm.

He made a run back to call out one of the friendly giants. It was to his fortune that Arcee was just strolling by Queens rather than speeding, otherwise she might have ran over Girudo when the dog put himself in her way.

"What do you want?" she asked, still in vehicular mode. Arcee was not in the mood for games and tried to circle around, but Girudo quickly put himself in front of her every time her wheel turned. She was seriously considering transforming to scare him off.

Girudo barked at the coast, took several steps on its direction, then looked expectantly to the femme. It didn't take an expert on organic fauna to figure he wanted her to follow.

At the frontier between metal ground and energon sea, Girudo kept barking to the ocean. Arcee didn't bother to try and communicate with the dog. He was obviously trying to warn her about the ocean. It looked normal, blue and radiant. Nothing out of the ordinary.

But the dog kept barking.

"This better not be a waste of my time." exasperated, Arcee bent down and brought a finger to the liquid, which she took to her mouth. Optics went wide in slight surprise. Raw energon usually tasted just the same as processed energon, but today it was a bit acidic as it travelled down to her tank.

"Seems a tad different, but nothing out of the ordinary." she muttered to herself. Then sighed irritated. "Look, I don't have time for your shenanigans. Don't bother me again." and she transformed and took off.

Disappointed, the retriever looked back to the ocean and howled. Where was the owner who always understands him?

* * *

**Back in the core.**

Megatron laid a hand of sharp digits on the wall before them. The group had continued on their journey and met no more Dark Energon waves on the way. Now they had reached this apparent dead-end.

"Is this it? We went the wrong way just to get nowhere." Jack muttered.

"This is no dead end. Beyond this wall lies Unicron's anti-spark chamber. But once we cross it, the Chaos Bringer will realize we are here. We must act quickly." Megatron declared.

"How? We still don't have a straight plan." Jack frowned. "It all involves pulling the same Matrix trick, using a Key I still can't figure out and Riku's gift, courtesy of the future aliens."

Optimus laid a hand on his chest. "Although the first option is still available, I believe using the Matrix will not put Unicron in stasis, again. He may have built an immunity from the last time."

"Maybe _I_ should have the Key. Optimus may have given you the original, but the aliens gave this one to me." Riku spoke with less sass than before. His near-death experience and timely rescue by the Predacon was a good reminder they could die any klik.

Meanwhile, Megatron ignored the discussing and kept focusing on the wall. He could hear Unicron's pulses reflecting in his own Spark, thanks to the bond forged by the god's blood in his chest.

"_Unicron, you may not be able to hear me, but I can hear you. And I want to tell you…this is MY planet! You will not take. Your time is almost up._"

No sooner than his processor ran through those thoughts, Megatron felt a fist tightening his Spark. A blade pierced his mind and he saw his himself through another's perspective. In that moment, Megatron realized something terrible.

"He has become aware we are here." His grunt was partially due to the pain of the experience. "The connection I share with Unicron has become two-sided due to our proximity to one another. Now he can sense my presence as I sense his."

Veins rotted their way into the walls and the unlikely alliance saw themselves bathed in amethyst luminescence. Debility invaded their forms like a breath of polluted air. Only two beings were unabated by weakness: Megatron and Riku.

Optimus and Jack felt their strength draining. Predaking became agitated, his instinct telling an unknown force was invading his system. His aggressive movements gradually dimmed by the growing infirmity.

"Unicron is attempting to reinforce his defenses. He is poisoning the environment around us. He cannot make his shell function, but his control over his life blood remains unimpaired." Megatron said. While he felt no weakness, his invulnerability wasn't an unbreakable shield. He could withstand large doses of the toxic substance that would kill any lesser life-form. But even he would perish if Unicron broke through the limits of his immunity.

Giving a look to his weakened allies, Megatron made a choice. He fired a potent shot at the nearest wall, blowing a wall to another hallway. One which was dark, meaning no dark energon veins.

"Make haste!" that inconsiderate shout was loaded with as much care for others as Megatron could deliver. He ran into the makeshift escape tunnel with Predaking in toe. Optimus grabbed Riku and Jack, transformed and rolled out.

In the dark tunnel, the ailing effects disappeared. Jack took a reinvigorating breath:

"You okay, Riku?"

"I didn't feel a thing." Riku shrugged. "That stuff didn't affect me."

"It stands to reason that you have your own immunity to the blood of Unicron. No doubt engineered by the Techno-Angels."

"It makes sense. If they wanted a weapon against Unicron, they had…"

"Brace yourselves!" Optimus hit the brakes without warning. Jack and Riku were grateful he wasn't driving too fast, or the impact would have injured them. Jack couldn't contain his exasperation when he saw the motive of the sudden stop:

"Perfect, our 'leader' just guided us to a dead end." Jack's groan was drowned in Optimus' transformation. The titan let the humans on the ground gently before walking up towards Megatron, blue optics on purple:

"Megatron, for all our sakes, I hope you did not steered us this way to get ourselves cornered by Unicron."

A frustrated Megatron snarled on the unfazed Prime's face. "The escape I opened for all of us saved your life and those of your pets', Optimus."

A short staring contest between 'Bot and 'Con followed, cut short by a faint glow on the tunnel. Eyes and optics turned to see a veins making its hesitant path towards then. Twisting to one side and halting, like analyzing its new reach, then extending to the other side and cycling the process.

"Unicron's senses are trying to detect me, though the Dark Energon within me. When that vein reaches us, he will know we haven't perished, yet."

Riku blinked. He threw a sideways look to his father, whose eyes were nailed on the serpentining vein. His hand rested on his shoulder, not too tight.

The boy inhaled a deep breath and broke into a run to the vein.

"Riku!" Jack would have done the same, if Optimus' hand hadn't blocked his path. He turned a choleric gaze to the Prime.

"Trust Riku." the 'Bot replied, ever so collected that was enerving Jack.

"Damn it, Optimus." the man resigned to watch his only son approach the vein, which stopped when confronted by the boy. A bit hesitant, Riku kneeled. He touched the vein. Jack held his breath. The purple light receded, as if the vein was drained of its blood from the point Riku touched it.

Jack recovered his breath in utter relief. Said relief didn't reflect on his face, however, when Riku returned to them:

"Son, if we survive this, you're grounded."

In the midst of all that, Megatron was shocked to the core. When he saw the human running to Unicron's vein, he assumed to worm was running scared. Then he was confused by the fact the boy was going towards the vein. Lastly, shock, more confusion and a strange amazement that the organic actually repelled Unicron's essence!

Silent, the Decepticon observed the unassuming human with narrowed optics. This explained why Optimus brought the human along. Only remaining question: how? How could a human, that specific human, have such an ability?

Beside him, Predaking eyed the boy with the same interest.

* * *

**Unicron's Anti-Spark chamber.**

The insects approached. He could sense it. He couldn't feel their exact location anymore. Something was impeding his reach from finding Megatron. The Prime approached. Of Unicron was to stand again victorious and proud, his design had to be accelerated.

Gathering all the strength he had collected, more Dark Energon was pumped out of the core and to the surface.

* * *

Sorry for the long time to update, but I'm back in story-writing business. Next chapter concludes the tiny Unicron Arc and begins a new one that many have been begging for.


	24. Hero(es)

**Game-Watch:** What set off my sudden return to writing, would you like to know? **YOUNG JUSTICE SEASON 3!** Of course I had the chapters already planned out, but it was those miraculous news who made my will to write explode like a volcano on Io. In fact, it led me to add one more short story to this work before closing it permanently.

**Grimlock987:** Sorry, no can do. I'm hurrying to end this on the good note. Still I intend to leave it with some open notes. Maybe in the far future I'll make a sequel.

* * *

**21st April 2034. 21 Years and 171 days AE.**

**Command Center, Empire State Building, Autobot HQ. New York.**

"_And toxicity levels keep rising steadily. At first it was nothing worth of alarm, we thought it would halt before it became an emergency._"

Ultra Magnus swallowed a sigh upon receiving the report of the worker Autotrooper. Leaders keep the soldiers motivated by showing themselves motivated, even if it's just a front hiding an exhausted 'Bot in need of mental recharge.

"It's an emergency now. Shut down all energon refineries that are facing this issue. There's nothing we can do now except wait until this crisis passes." and Magnus had a pretty good hunch what the source of this new problem was.

Red alerts fired up on the command center, making Magnus' stress increased to heights higher than the building itself.

"What's happening?"

Another screen lit up with Arcee's alarmed face. "_Commander, you better see the ocean!_"

"Show me a visual!" he ordered to the present staff. The main screen revealed a video feed flying over the coast. The blue radiant ocean bubbled like boiling water. Every Autobot felt apprehension as the hue shifted slowly to a darker tone.

"No." Magnus pleaded in a whisper.

The color gradually turned into a dark purple. The moment the transformation was complete, more frantic alarms flared up around Magnus. About 'Bots weakening and suddenly offlining all over the shore.

"All stations, all Autobots, evacuate the coastline!"

Another staff member delivered the dreadful news. "Sir, our scanners confirm. The ocean has mutating into Dark Energon."

* * *

**Earth's core.**

Silence could be a blessing and a torture for the mind. At the moment, it was the later.

The reluctant alliance of Decepticon, Predacon, Autobot and Humans continued on their path to the heart of darkness. All the while there was no exchange of words. Even the insides of Chaos Bringer were keen on preserving the quiet. Ordinarily, Megatron wouldn't let that bother him. But the present situation was anything but ordinary.

Less than a half an hour ago, Megatron had witnessed the most insignificant member of this coalition stop the reach the of God of Destruction with his bare hands. That trivial, puny creature had done something Megatron never even dreamed. And all that the Decepticon could wonder was how.

That was why the present silence smothered him. He had a mystery to uncloak less than a three steps behind, a potential resource he could exploit. But the boy might as well be on another galaxy, with Optimus Prime guarding over him. And Megatron was too proud and too wise to even ponder asking about the boy's 'gift'. He could not learn or acquire that uncanny ability, not until opportunity arrived.

"How much further?" Optimus asked. Previously, they were on the cusp of reaching their goal when Unicron launched an attack that forced them to flee. After Riku utilized his ability to halt the attack, Megatron guided them through an alternate path.

"We are here." Megatron pointed to a featureless wall.

"Are you sure? 'Cause it looks like any other wall in this maze." Jack was unfazed by the venomous purple glare Megatron shot him.

"You doubt my abilities, human?"

"I doubt your trustworthiness."

Megatron turned to the Prime. "Our common foe lies behind this wall. Even if his senses are not picking up our presence so close, he must know we are near. Predaking!"

Megatron stepped aside to allow the beast to unleash a hellstorm onslaught on the wall. He kept the infernal flame for two minutes, the heat so suffocating that Riku and Jack stepped way back to avoid becoming a double human barbecue. When the fire ceased, Predaking balanced himself on his hind legs and threw his massive bulk against the orange-red incandescent mark. The wall crumbled into half-molten rubble and the group entered a chamber poorly lit in purple light.

"Behold Unicron, once the dreaded the Chaos Bringer, now reduced to an ember of his former might." Megatron said severely, his purple optics locked in on the anti-spark. He remembered vividly his first time in that place. The toxic radiance had been a mountain pressuring his mind and body. Now, it felt like he was in a void and Unicron was a tiny light threatened by the consuming darkness.

"Let us make haste and end this." Optimus walked towards the anti-spark, casting a sideways glance behind him to the humans. He had ordered Riku and Jack to stay back and out of the wicked God's reach, even if said God appeared to be weaker. This wasn't the time to take chances, whether or not Riku had some predestined duty in this crisis. "Matrix of Leadership, I call upon you!" he brought his hands to his chest plates.

"**NO! You will never fell Unicron!**"

The air exploded. All sentient beings felt the weakness returning to them. The anti-spark had dilated, but not to the proportions of its previous awakening of decades ago. Unicron was weaker, but not by any means weak.

Optimus struggled to stay balanced. "You will not threaten this or any other world, Unicron!"

"**You deceive yourself, Prime. My victory has been assured before you set foot in my inner sanctum." **the walls trembled. "**My blood has reached the surface of this cyberformed rock and contaminated your oceans. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, death will consume your race as it has consumed Primus!**

"**My shell may be permanently crippled by the cyberforming of this planet. You may lock my essence in an eternal slumber. But you have failed, Prime! Just as you have failed Primus!**"

"Not while I still function, Unicron. May the Matrix of Leadership light our darkest hour!" Optimus chest plates opened to let out the blue glow.

"**It is MY hour, Prime!**" an amethyst bolt shot into Optimus's opened chest. The next event was a storm of color and noise. Purple and blue erupted in a blinding blast. The pained growl of Unicron thundered over Optimus' shout of agony. Like equal magnetic poles, the explosion pushed both forces away from each other. The anti-spark retracted and an in-stasis Optimus was tossed on his back, close by the humans.

"Optimus!"

The artificial quake caused Jack to lose his grip on the Key to Vector. He would have gone for it, hadn't something else caught everyone's immediate attention. As the afterglow of the blast died down, the blue light prevailed separated from Optimus. Lying at the Autobot's pedes was a discarded object never before seen by human eyes.

"It's…"

"The Matrix of Leadership!" Megatron shouted. His optics were dilated to unseen, even comical proportions. Metal eyebrows so high they reached the top of his helm. It was a perfect reaction picture to post on Instagram. "IT SHALL BE MINE!"

To the Decepticon, every movement was a struggle on itself, but he had ambition and determination to back it up. If Unicron hadn't turned his full attention on him.

"**Nothing shall be yours! It shall all be mine!**" tendrils of purple wrapped around Megatron, sapping his strength away. It was then that Megatron realized he had underestimated the Chaos Bringer.

"You... are a vanquished relic of the past, Unicron!" Megatron stared defiantly into the anti-spark. A pair of narrowedeyes glowed:

"**Unicron will live forever...in you!**"

The essence of Unicron shot into Megatron's chest, purple light filling the chamber all the while Megatron screamed like never before.

"D-dad?" Riku looked to his father, whom kept his eyes on Megatron's form. When the light show ended, the anti-spark was put out and the chamber drowned in brief darkness. A new source of purple light stood: Megatron.

A drop of sweat ran down Jack's face. "God, no!"

Megatron's frame was surrounded by a purple fiery aura. But that wasn't the only change. His entire body had become spikier and colored. Highlights of dark purple and rusty brown decorated some of the spikes. More notorious were the purple spikes on top of his head, a mixture of a crown and horns. The Decepticon insignia in the chest was gone, and in its place rested a star of the malevolent matter.

The new and improved Megatron opened his optics, now more expressive than ever since getting the Dark Energon tinge. Like the unnatural coloration had become the norm, rather than the occasional anomaly. He looked down to his sharpened digits, flexing them slowly. The fanged mouth curled up in a predatory smirk.

"**After eons of slumbering and damnation, Unicron has been reborn! And now with my arch-nemesis at the edge of oblivion, nothing stands in my way to plunge the Universe into CHAOS!**"

"We're scrapped." Jack's voice trembled.

Something big and heavy attacked Unicron from behind. Predaking, whom had remained on the sidelines, could tell his master was not acting in his own accord. His feral eyes looked at the God with the same he'd give an enemy Autobot.

"**Beast, you dare strike me?!**" as response the Predacon charged again and the two began a brawl that Jack didn't intend to squander. He looked over his petrified son, then the out could Optimus:

"Son, I need you to do something for me."

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

Riku watched in fear as his father quietly ran to the Matrix of Leadership. It was bigger than a pickup truck, and impossible for him to move or hide. A hollow golden orb with a blue irradiating shard within and a pair of side handles. According to legends Jack had heard, the energon shard had been extracted directly from the veins of Primus, himself. The legends also spoke the Matrix was sentient and judged who it was worthy and who wasn't.

"Come on, help me helping you." he whispered to the object. "The first time Optimus gave me the Key, going with my gut did the job. Why…" he gasped and groped his pockets in vain. "The Key!"

"Dad!" not much of a surprise, had sneaked up behind him. More of a surprise was that he was showing him the Key to Vector Sigma. "You dropped it!"

A loud thump showed Predaking was defeated and in-stasis while Unicron victorious and unharmed.

"**Parasites!**" Unicron finally took notice of the amoebas. He didn't bother to approach. Merely raised his left arm and a cannon of Dark Energon formed, pointed to the pair and the Matrix. "**Be the first to perish at the newly revived Unicron, along with the last stain of Primus!**"

Father and son were frozen where they stood.

The dark mouth of the cannon blinked a light.

Riku clenched his eyes shut and his hand around the Key. A dome of white semi-transparent light exploded around the pair and blocked the deadly amethyst shot.

"**What trickery is this?**" Unicron looked back to the pair, singling out the smallest. "**You. You are the anomaly!**"

"Riku! You're glowing." hearing his father's words, Riku looked to his own hands. A thin aura of white surrounded his skin and the Key to Vector Sigma in his grasp.

"**This I will not allow!**" the angered God ran to the dome that protected the humans and the Matrix and hit it with a mallet. The construct was vaporized the moment it touched the light. Further enraged, he created spiked gauntlets and proceeded to punch the dome relentlessly. The result was the same. Notwithstanding, father and son were not feeling the safest under the devilish glare of the Chaos Bringer.

"Dad? You think…"

"I don't know…" Jack took a moment to appease his thoughts. "Maybe the Key is...using your immunity."

"Yeah, but I don't wanna guess how long that will last."

Frustrated, Jack turned to the Matrix of Leadership. So far, the thing had done nothing, even when the ultimate enemy was pounding on their last line of defense. "Come on, you stupid ancient piece of junk. Why are you ignoring me now?"

The center of the Matrix responded with a beam of light that struck Jack. Riku cried out for him, but it went unheard. For Jack, his ears could only hear a deep, ancient-sounding voice, so similar and so different than Unicron's:

"_**Jackson Darby of Earth. What do you fight for?**_" the voice didn't wait for an answer. "_**You fight for your son, the last loved one you have in the world. Whom do you inspire to follow you? No one but your son, who follows you out of love and not hope. You are no leader anymore, Jackson Darby. You are a father.**_"

The connection was broken. Jack staggered backwards and would have fallen if Riku didn't catch his back. "Dad, you okay?"

"...Yeah, just fine." Jack murmured, unfocused. A powerful pound in the shield brought him back to the current situation. "It's over." the words brought such self-loathing to him that he wanted to vomit. "It's all over."

"What are you talking about?" Riku shouted over the sound of another hit on the dome. It grew thinner the more blows it suffered.

"The Matrix says I don't have the stuff. Says I'm not leader material, anymore."

A thundering bang and then the sound of cascading broken glass. They looked up in horror to see the chaos bringer had shattered the top of the dome. Another hit and the structure collapsed and disappeared. It was the end.

"**Embrace oblivion!**"

"I'm sorry, Riku. I couldn't do it."

"Go to Pit!" in despair and anger, Riku threw the Key of Vector Sigma to the God. It was by sheer luck that it hit and became stuck on the central star in his chest.

Without warning or beseeching, the Matrix of Leadership lighted up and fired a beam into the embedded Key, which like a mirror, projected the beam inside the Chaos Bringer's shell!

Unicron cried out in agony like he hadn't since Prima stabbed him with the Star Saber, eons ago. The beam of Primus' very one lifeforce penetrated into Unicron's mortal form with ease until it reached the corrupted Spark.

A weapon, no matter how powerful and complex, could never obliterate a God. The beam did nothing against the revitalized God, but it did took Riku's genetic makeup and ability to cleanse every trace of the Dark Energon that Megatron had so foolishly shoved into his being, decades before. Without a piece of his life force within Megatron, the body was no longer a cradle that could sustain him. Unicron was anti-life; he could not thrive in an untarnished living body. And as Unicron had transferred his entire being into Megatron's shell, he could not go back. Just like Bill Cipher trapped in Stanley Pines' decaying mind, he could not escape his damnation.

A supernova of white filled the room, putting every living thing unconscious. A shame no one got to stay awake. It wasn't every eon that one could witness the death of a God.

* * *

**Half an hour later.**

**Medical Bay, Autobot HQ.**

The sensation of dizziness returned as the crack of light pierced the darkness.

"That's it, follow the light." a voice said softly.

Riku awoke with a startle on a cybertronian-sized medical bed. Between him and the wide, hard metal table was a blanket. Dad kneeling next to him, the blanket had to be his courtesy.

"You okay, kiddo?"

"Fine. Head feels like it was shoved on Smoke's trunk." he massaged a sore spot his skull landed on.

"I resent that, partner."

The boy turned his head the other side to see his grinning partner. Smokescreen looked at him with joy, yet his features seemed a bit forced. Riku thought nothing of it, just his imagination after that wild adventure on Unicron's inside.

"What about Unicron? Did we win? And how did you rescue us?"

Even the ever-busy Ratchet halted his activities in the stark silence that followed Riku's quiz.

"Son...whatever you did…" he had a look of confusion, himself. "From what the Matrix _told_ Optimus, you stabbed the Key close to Megatron's Spark chamber. The Matrix took the hint to activate, somehow, through the Key. And the Key itself had imprinted on your DNA. It took your anti-dark energon power and shoved it down Unicron's throat."

"I still think it's creepy that Unicron would possess Buckethead like that. Don't even know what to call him, but those two deserve each other." Smokescreen put in his thoughts.

"Anyways, as far as we can tell, Unicron is gone and we're all still kicking. Even Megatron, sadly." Jack smiled, in spite of that.

Smokescreen picked up. "HQ was checking every klik if they could open a groundbridge for you. The moment they were able, we dove in to see the 'Cons had beat us for a second there. You guys, Optimus, Buckethead and his mutt were all in-stasis. Rather than fight, Cyclonus got smart and ordered his goons to take Megatron and the Predacon back and we brought you here. Which reminds, how's your head?"

"Better now. Can't feel the hit, anymore."

Smokescreen processed to tap him in the back of the head, a friendly poke to another Cybertronian, but a mild painful hit for a human.

"Ouch! What gives?"

"That's for not even giving me a heads up when you went on that suicidal adventure. I'm your partner, in case you forgot."

"Sorry, 'Smoke. You're right, I wasn't paying attention. It all happened so fast." he muttered the last part, then went back to a chirpy tone. "But everything turned out alright, in the end. So no sweat, partner."

Their falling faces made his chirp die a little. "What?"

"Riku, you need your rest. Doctor's orders." Ratchet said, the more rational in the room.

"What happened?" the boy pressured. His father sighed:

"Son, when you're able to, we'll take you outside."

* * *

Riku, Jack and Smoke came to the top of the HQ to a sight of beauty and dread. Beyond the borders of the capital, the once vibrant blue oceans had become an ominous purple.

"Is that…" Jack had to fight off a sudden dizzy spell.

"Blood of Unicron." said Ultra Magnus, standing at the edge of the terrace. "The coast had to be evacuated. The ocean's radiation is so strong anyone that stands too close risks going offline almost instantly. Even here the effects are felt."

"Not by me." Riku noted. "But I thought Unicron was beaten."

"He sneered us that he had already won by poisoning the oceans. Him gone didn't reverse that, and I bet that was what Unicron was counting on. The ultimate act of spite." the father said grudgingly.

"Now what?" Riku appeared to be at the edge of panicking. Had they gone on that maelstrom of death and madness just to return to a soon-to-be dead home?

"After Optimus re-merged with the Matrix, he went locking himself in his office without a word, partner. My guess, he's speaking to the other Primes for a solution."

"Is he alright?"

"He seemed fine, if a bit gloomy."

"Is the entire ocean…" Riku feared completing the question, yet he got the dreadful answer from Magnus.

"Yes, as far as we know, all the raw energon of Earth have been corrupted. Only our processed stockpiles have been saved, but the injuries we suffered during the night of the undead have put quite a dent on them. Fortunately we still have enough to last for a quarter of a stellar cycle, if the Decepticons don't pressure us too much."

"Only three months, and that's if the 'Cons choose to play nice. That doesn't sound promising."

"The Decepticons have been hit by this as much as we have. I seriously doubt Megatron would risk draining his own forces to starvation with no guaranteed chance of victory."

"Has Buckethead ever been the most rational of 'Cons, if there ever was one?" Smokescreen crossed his arms.

Riku sighed. The last twenty-four hours had make him feel like a complete stranger. Barring the escapade on alternate Earths and the battle of Geneva, his life had been sheltered. Not that life seemed to have gone on vacation to another planet on foot. Previously, he always had his family to fall back onto following one of those merry-go-rounds of madness and danger. Now, mom was gone and there was one less person to hold him.

"Girudo? Where is Girudo?"

Smokescreen shrugged. "Dunno, he was with me while I cleaning energon tanks, then went away."

Inspecting the tinged horizon again, Riku announced: "I should go there."

"Riku…"

"Dad, don't start. We know I may be the only one who can fix this. I got the touch."

Jack looked him intently before letting out a sigh of surrender.

"Fine, but not today. I've had my quota of adventure for the week. Tomorrow, and we'll be watching you every step of the way and the moment you feel something's wrong, you turn back."

"Do you believe that will work?" Magnus' tone was dubious.

"I didn't know how to use my anti-Unicron mojo or whatever, and it solved the problem."

The Commander nodded. "I will inform Optimus of that plan."

Jack stretched his back subtly. "Riku, I'm all adventured-out. Let's go home."

Father and son travelled on Smokescreen to their home. The ride was conversational for Jack and Smoke, but a absentminded silence for Riku. He looked over the city, the sunset, the outside world that reminded him of the reality he had just returned to.

"You okay, Riku?"

"Uh?" he turned to see his dad looking at him expectantly. If Smokescreen had a head in his current form, Riku guessed he would be too.

"Nothing, just thinking about stuff." his answer was a nonchalant mutter as he turned back to the window. He didn't see his father looking sympathetically at him. Jack Darby knew all too well _whom_, not what, his son was thinking about. Jack Darby had a bit to think of, himself. The Matrix rejected him because he wasn't fit to be a leader, anymore. Why? Because he was a father, now?

* * *

**22nd April 2034. 21 Years and 172 days AE. (Before dawn)**

Riku sat up on his makeshift bed on the new, two-people house he now shared with his father. He checked the clock. Another sleepless hour gone by.

He gave out a tired sigh; tired of unsuccessful attempts to sleep. He walked up to the window and opened. The cool air was pleasant, and strangely so was the new hue of light in the night sky. A cool aspect of having moved to New York following the loss of Geneva was the proximity to the coast. Energon illuminated the night sky like an aurora rising from the ground. Smokescreen said it was almost light a night on Cybertron. Now the aurora was purple, yet still beautiful. Deadly, but beautiful.

"Wish Girudo was here. Where are you, bud?"

* * *

**Queens District, at the docks.**

Girudo was too tired to howl.

He had smelled the great-venom coming. He tried to tell the hard-skin-giants. They didn't listen. When the great-venom came, they ran like scared cats. Girudo remained where he was since the warm-light-ball-that-is-painful-to-look-at fell from the sky and hid behind the horizon. The hard-skin-giants didn't come near the great-venom. But he could.

The dark-sky air was cool. It would feel good to run around with his two-legs-friend. He knew it wasn't meant to be.

Girudo looked back, hopeful that his two-legs-friend would show up, but that hope was dashed. He whined and dropped his ears. He couldn't even say goodbye. His instincts told him it was time.

The technorganic dog jumped over the docks and dove into the ocean of great-venom. For a split second he felt burning everywhere. Then he felt nothing more as the perfid substance consumed his every molecule, right down to his twice altered DNA.

When the Techno-Angels altered Riku and Girudo, they did it with the purpose of facilitating their individual missions. Riku's was stopping Unicron. This was Girudo's. From the spot he sank in, the ocean's coloration changed from violet to blue.

Hours later, the Autobots would come to see the oceans had been restored to raw energon. And assume the process happened due to the Chaos Bringer's defeat, and not through the sacrifice of a friend.

* * *

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ.**

"My liege, our outposts report that the oceans have reverted back to raw energon!" Cyclonus gave the only piece of good news since Megatron awakened. The rest was a total debacle.

Upon his rescue, Megatron was brought under the medical attention of Knock Out and Shockwave, the later was involved due to the emergency. To their shock, they learnt Megatron's Spark had zero traces of Dark Energon and Shockwave's first option was infusing him with a dose. Knock Out vehemently disagreed and convinced the senior scientist to use it only as a last resort. After hours of repairs, Megatron was back on his feet in the next solar cycle, though not yet fully recovered.

His mood worsened upon the sight of his destroyed citadel. Ristvak'baen was in ruins. The towering fortress still stood tall, but the fusion cannons that made it so ominous had been destroyed. Most of the surrounding city was already in shambles by the time the warship Nemesis awoke as an undead Trypticon and took out the most powerful guns in their arsenal.

"We are making haste in reparations of our defenses and factories, my liege." Hook, the 'Con responsible for the construction progress was visibly nervous to have to report face-to-face to Megatron, who sat on his throne atop the not-so-mighty Ristvak'baen.

"I believe in a seven solar cycle, tops, we can have the defenses of capital restored. Walls were not very damaged, most of it was dealt on the ground-based weaponry. For this schedule to work, the repairing of our industries will have to take second-place in the priority list. Only in about a month will have the factories up and running again, at least at 70% productivity they...used to be before t-the attack of the undead." The chief of construction lowered his voice as Megatron's features became increasingly menacing. The report wasn't nearly as good as the Lord of the Decepticon had wanted. That only in a month could Ristvak'baen be _almost_ fully operational again.

"What about the fusion-cannons? When will they be operational again?" the tyrant asked tensely, his words could cut through the hardiest cybertronian alloy.

Hook turned a quick glance to the left where he could see the mangled protuberance that had once been the one of the four potent heavy-hitters of the fortress.

"The fusion cannons are… irreparable. The only option is to rebuild them from scratch." Hook made haste in stating the second phrase to try and prevent Megatron from possibly lashing out in murdering rage. "In my estimations, five months…"

"Five months?!" from time to time, even Decepticons adopted human measurements of time and distance. But the point is: Megatron is not happy. He rose from the throne and paced to the cowering Hook. "You call yourself chief of construction and tell me you can't make hasty reparations? While we stand vulnerable like a protoform, the Autobots could invade the very heart of our Imperium! Is that what you wish for?"

"N-no, my liege!"

"Then make sure it does not happen! Force the drones to labor harder and longer, if you must. Give no dispense to injured workers. Just make it happen. I want Ristvak'baen ready for war sooner than the Autobot capital!"

"Yes, my liege."

"Then why are you still standing here?!" Megatron growled in Hook's face, making him fall on his back and break in a run out of there. Megatron returned to his throne, tiredness dousing the rage.

Cyclonus, who had remained impassive while his Lord terrorized the energon out of Hook, waged to voice something to appease his anger:

"If I may be allowed to say, my liege," Megatron nodded discreetly, not looking at his lieutenant. "we have suffered heavy losses, but considering the oceans just reverted to natural energon, I believe we were fortunate that Unicron is once again sealed."

Megatron grunted. "Your statement, truthful notwithstanding, does not negate the fact that our capital is barely able to repel the assault of a squadron as it is. While the Autobots have also suffered damage to their city, I believe theirs is not as decaying as ours. If it hadn't been for Trypticon…" Megatron cursed the name, casting a sideways glance to the city below.

Trypticon's remains were now a crashed and wrecked ship lying on the metal soil. The Nemesis would never fly again. It was nothing more than parts to be reused and recycled. The Decepticon Imperium had lost their most veteran and powerful vessel.

"The only victory we achieved was preventing this conflict from becoming a four-sided war." h

He passed a hand over his chest and thought of his own Spark. Knock Out informed him of the disappearance of the shard of Unicron he had merged himself with. The first thought he had was filling his being with its power, once more, but something halted him. Was it the recent experience of how Unicron used him as a puppet? Or the better knowledge of the dark fuel's effects? Megatron didn't care for the reason. He decided for the time being, he would maintain his Spark clean from the dark God's essence.

The echo of giant flapping wings attracted his and his SIC's attention. Predaking came flying in and landed before them. The two Decepticons exchanged a confused look. Neither had expected the Predacon leader.

"Predaking, I have not summoned you." Megatron looked with confusion into the beast's yellow optics, much more deadly-looking in the dark of night.

The beast growled softly and took a step forward. Then the more unexpected happened; the plates in his body broke apart and shifted place. A process completely natural to all Cybertronians: transformation.

The now bipedal Predaking heighted a head taller than even Megatron and looked down upon them. In that moment, Megatron knew the war had just become a four-sided conflict.

* * *

_**Deleted scene 1:**_

"_IT SHALL BE MINE!"_

_To the Decepticon, every movement was a struggle on itself, but he had ambition and determination to back it up. Megatron approached the Matrix, an expression of near maniacal glee in his faceplates._

"_No!" Jack cried out, holding onto the relic. He got swatted by Megatron's foot like a fly. Jack's body hit the wall at literally break-necking speed and fell lifeless._

"_DAD!" Riku cried out, not even seeing the shot from Megatron's cannon that vaporized him._

_Finally, no more pests to spoil the victorious moment. Megatron grabbed the Matrix with both hands. He opened his chest plates. The Matrix felt his intentions and fought back by discharging painful energy at him. But Megatron would not be millions of years he had dreamed of this moment. He would not be denied!_

_And he shoved the Matrix in, merging it with his Spark infected with Dark Energon. The chest plates were shut closed. Immediately, a white light blew like a supernova on the Dark God's anti-spark chamber. Megatron felt the power of the Primes running in his veins. His frame grew taller and more imposing. Black spikes grew in different places, particularly on his head, giving him horns._

_When the light died own, Megatron shotued to the Multiverse._

_"I...am the dominator. I...am the destroyer! I...AM...GALVATRON PRIME!"_

…_..._

_**Deleted scene 2:**_

_In his private quarters, Optimus kept his gaze focused on data feed. It presented data collected from a top secret mission. One ordered by the Prime himself to a small team of Autobot scouts and minor technicians sworn to absolute secrecy. Not even the higher-ups in the chain of command like Ultra Magnus knew about._

"_Data received. A good job, Autobots."_

"_All in a day's work, sir. I'm sorry this is everything we could learn. Most of our targets didn't feel the minimum requirements." the leading scout apologized._

"_That was to be expected. Hold your position. I will open a spacebridge when it's safe."_

"_We've been here for almost three solar cycles. What's a few more kliks? Over and out." and the call ended. Optimus would have to cover up an unauthorized spacebridge to bring them back. In the meantime, he studied the data. Out of the seven target he had assigned them, only two proved promising._

_Target 1: __Tigovestrant_

_Climate: warm and moist;_

_Flora: abundant;_

_Fauna: zero/undetected;_

_Atmosphere: O2 (dangerously high), CO2, N2, H2 (vestigial);_

_Notes: 1 sterile natural satellite._

_..._

_Target 2: __Uberdato_

_Climate: warm and damp;_

_Flora: abundant;_

_Fauna: abundant;_

_Atmosphere: O2, CH4, N2, H2;_

_Notes: No oceans; violent storms in the dry season._


	25. Chapter 25

**Game-Watch:** Yes, Optimus is scouting for new planets to place the humans on, but don't forget that was a deleted scene. Meaning, it not existing does not affect the plot, at all. As for Unicron...Maybe in some other universes (IV, XII and maybe I), he is the immortal embodiment of chaos which would mean he would never cease to be as long as there was chaos. But in Universe XIII, he is just a primeval, insanely powerful, undying being, who is now deader than dead.

**Note:** This story takes place in **Universe XIII** of my Transformers Multiverse, which will become more relevant following the next chapter.

* * *

**22nd April 2034. 21 Years and 172 days AE.**

**Ristvak'baen, Decepticon HQ**

Only one thing excused a toiling Vehicon to take a very short break, and that was a bipedal Predacon passing by.

Following Predaking's display of extraordinary evolution, Megatron had him walk beside him. The pair passed by the hordes of workers trying to put together the ruined capital. Vehicons were allowed an ephemeral moment to stare at the giant Cybertronian whose height reached a palm higher than their Lord before the work masters growled them go back to work.

"When Shockwave brought me out of my nurturing tube, I knew who I was and what I was capable of. I cared not for identity, only that I was the predator and the Autobots were prey. Then, when the first batch of my siblings came to be and you, Lord Megatron," Predaking said the name with reverence. "granted us our names, I accepted my individuality and began truly beholding the world around me. As I observed your soldiers and the Autobots, I wondered: could I be like them?"

"A remarkable evolution." Megatron said frankly. "I trust your siblings will soon reach your echelon."

Predaking answered slowly. "I am uncertain. The others haven't displayed any signs of intelligence beyond their animalistic capability."

"Not even the named ones?" Megatron looked him firmly. Four other Predacons had been named by Megatron before the attack on Geneva - Ripclaw, Darksteel, Skylynx and Skystalker - for their distinction in battle. Thy also displayed the most complex behavior and Megatron now worried if him naming them had instigated this evolution.

"No, my liege. To my disappointment, I am the only one."

That was a good lie, if the Decepticon leader ever heard one.

"It does my Spark good to see another one breaking free and evolving into something greater." unbeknownst to the predacon, he referred to himself a long time ago when his revolution was still a sparkling. A nameless Cybertronian himself, he had once thought to be conscripted to his slave position, and now that Cybertronian called himself 'Megatron'. But he chased away the ghosts of the past and refocused on the new revolutionary.

"I thank you for your praise, Lord Megatron. I hope I am but just the first of many. Rest assured that, as you gave my race life again, our claws and dragonfire are at your command." Predaking's gratitude and oath may have been sincere, but there was just too much arrogance in his tone. The way he assured Megatron of his loyalties, he spoke like a superior creature to an inferior one who fears been stomped on.

"And I thank you, my fellow revolutionary." Megatron forced his voice and face to remain a civil shield to his thoughts. "_Predaking, you may be a revolutionary, but your are unrefined in the art of deception. I can see through your shell. You may be truthfully loyal to me now, but the moment the survival of your kind goes against mine's, the only master you serve will be yourself."_

"Your new abilities may be the blessing we require in these strenuous times. If the Autobots were willing to muster all of their forces, they could win the war at this very moment. The price of victory would be costly for them, yes, but they would be victorious." as much as it pained him, Megatron spoke the absolute truth with no energon-coating. "I will require your entire Predacon brethren to split into squads for different assignments."

"My Predacons stand ready for orders."

It was impossible to miss that Predaking had said 'my', not 'yours'. Megatron knew he had to tread carefully.

* * *

Megatron's façade of acceptance and diplomacy fell off the moment he walked into Shockwave's private laboratory. The place had sustained considerable damage following its siege by the talking Terrorcons, chief among them, Shockblast, the scientist's late brother. Nobody would miss him.

"Shockwave." he addressed the cyclopsian Decepticon, who was embroiled in fixing his own equipment. "As you are aware, we have come across a new menace."

"The Predacons. Even though Predaking is a exceptional optimal specimen, it is logical to assume the possibility that the others will reach the same evolutionary degree, if they have not already."

"That I cannot allow! Shockwave, you once mentioned an anti-predacon contingency protocol. In the event the Autobots managed wrest control of the beasts."

"Indeed. Notwithstanding, the protocol was never programmed with a complete extermination as the goal."

Megatron scowled and looked upwards in contemplation. "Currently we have thirty-four Predacons amongst our forces. From the Battle of Geneva to the terrorcon night, we lost almost a quarter of beast, however they remain the strongest front we have in case of an Autobot attack. Even if they all are evolving and developing sapience, I don't find it prudent to eradicate the entire population, immediately."

He delivered his thoughts to Shockwave who responded after a brief moment of ponderation.

"To implement the contingency protocol as you wish, I will have to operate haste but carefully. Unfortunately, I will not be able to present instant results."

"Then consider a good fortune, doctor, that I have dispatched all Predacons on patrolling and scouting missions to the buffer zone between the Imperium and the Autobots. It will deter the Autobots from launching an immediate attack and put the capital free of Predacon for some time. Use it well."

* * *

**Hours later.**

**Alberta-Montana border. Canada.**

Predaking landed outside of the cave, after making triply sure he was not followed.

Today, this skies between Autobot and Decepticon territory were swarmed with Predacons, per Megatron's order. Simple patrol missions, any attempt to engage the Autobots were strictly forbidden. But that bothered him little, for now. His siblings could keep the borders secured without him, before his absence was noted.

Predaking dwelled deep into the cave where was a nest of metal pieces and rubble. Beneath the nest was the lost Star Saber. Once Predaking claimed as a spoils of battle. Now he saw it as a trump card should the future present itself grim.

While he was of Cybertron, the only home a Predacon knew was Earth. Lord Megatron wanted Cybertron, he could keep it. Predaking would gladly share Earth with the Decepticons. All he wanted for his race was a future and a home. Earth would be that home. Megatron would give him Earth as a reward for helping vanquish the Autobots.

And if the Lord of the Decepticons didn't see it this fair and just way, Predaking would have to make him see it. At the point of claw or sword.

* * *

**29th April 2034. 21 Years and 179 days AE.**

**Marengo, Ohio. Border of Autobot territory.**

In current days, the highways of Earth were normally solitary roads. Smokescreen imagined the megaways on Cybertron were pretty much the same state, as he sped through the road humans once called Interstate 71.

"Nothing to report now, Lieutenant."

Smokescreen ignored the urge to sigh at the femme riding beside him. "You don't have to report to me every deca-cycle."

"Actually, I must. It's part of protocol to give periodic reports of status while on patrol, sir."

"First, don't call me 'sir'. 'Smokescreen' will do. Second, telling me that everything is fine every five minutes is getting dull. I can see the sky is clear by myself, Strongarm."

The femme that accompanied him was a just fresh out of boot camp Elite Guard of her own. Strongarm was a young, by-the-book femme that would make old Ultra Magnus proud for her diligence in following protocol.

"Understood, si...Smokescreen!"

"I'm starting to think these patrols are just excuses for a joyride." another person uttered dryly from Smokescreen's front passenger seat. "No 'Cons in sight since we sent Unicron to the Pit."

"Tell that to the Predacons, partner." Riku shrugged at Smoke's retort.

Following Unicron's ultimate defeat, the Decepticon forces retreated from the frontier and deeper into their Imperium. It would seem an invitation for an Autobot invasion, if the skies weren't patrolled by Predacons. The Autobot army still had bad memories of the destruction of Geneva, its ruins now a living remark of the beasts' savage fury. And yet, for the last seven solar cycles, Predacons were seen flying all over the frontier, sometimes above Autobot territory, but never attacked.

"Optimus believes the Big U's attack may have hurt the 'Cons far more than it hurt us. Good news, for a change. He says the Predacons are keeping us at bay, without actually provoking us into attacking. Megatron's buying time to patch his wounds." Smokescreen practically uttered word per word what his superiors had told him.

"So you're telling me the only reason we're not busting up the 'Cons is because Buckethead's pets are guarding the door?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Strongarm felt out of place in the conversation. Since arriving on Earth, she had spent most of her days studying and training in the Elite Guard and seldom saw humans. When Riku insisted on going with Smokescreen on patrol, the Lieutenant gave in on the pretext 'Con activity was zero. Strongarm saw it as an opportunity to interact with one of the natives that had befriended many Autobots. Especially the ones whose rumors said slew Unicron. It was a disappointment to Strongarm that this human was somewhat of a recluse. He barely spoke to Smokescreen whom was his partner.

"Strongarm, we're splitting up. You patrol the east, I'll take west." he rebuked her protest that patrols should be in pairs and they jumped the highway to a national and parted ways.

"Okay, partner. What's crawled up your tailpipe and chewed through it?"

Riku grunted. "You."

Smokescreen didn't sound offended one bit. "Now you're pouting _and_ insulting me. Come on, you're better than that."

"I don't pout." Riku Bulk Nakadai Darby never pouted.

"Funny, 'cause it sounds like that's the case."

"Fine!" he snarled. "I'm upset because of all the scrap that's been thrown at me. First I lost my home, then my mom, and then my dog! That's what crawled up my tailpipe!"

Smokescreen sighed. "Once, a wise two-wheeler said that closing yourself wouldn't make the hurt go away."

"I'm not hurting...anymore." Riku said the last word in a more mild tone. "I'm just angry."

"Your dad was angry, too when the 'Cons destroyed Earth. He didn't let it eat him, though. He opened up to his friends."

* * *

High above, Predaking flew upwards until he became a speck in the cloudless sky.

Those inferior, earthbound Autobots never realized they were being overshadowed form above by their predator. If allowed, Predaking would have dove in and tear them asunder, but Megatron's orders stood. One day, though, the Predacons would hunt down every last Autobot and make a pire out of their husks.

He let those thoughts for the future go and focused on the present. The air beneath his wings feel like an immense delight. Predacons were creatures of might and freedom. Flying was what most delight Predaking in all of his short life, for the sensation of reaching above everyone else was the ultimate proof of his freedom. Decepticons could fly, yes, but it wasn't in their life-blood. They didn't belong to the skies and, therefore, they had no spirit or grace.

To prove that point, he executed a perfect aerobatic. Every vertebra from the tip of his tail to his neck moved like a column of synchronised dancers. A Decepticon flying would be rigid and unable to move so fluidly.

Yes! Flying was the supreme joy. And it would be beyond that when Shockwave bred more Predacons and his brethren dominated the skies of this planet.

…

Predaking again had to pull his mind off the far future and focus on the present. As much as it pained him, the number of existing Predacons - almost a quarter of a hundred - was far from being a restored species.

Just like the littler human…

Predaking was able to hear the whole conversation between the Autobots he had been flying over. The leader of all Predacons wasn't spying on possible enemy secrets, no. What intrigued him on that scouting party was not the Autobots, but the human. The organic youngling with the ability to vanquish the poison of Unicron. He knew even Megatron was slightly interested in the creature.

The child is the last one of a race on the edge of oblivion. Predaking was the first of a resurrected kind. For some reason he felt a connection with the human. Predaking was an Alpha. The human, an Omega.

* * *

**2nd May 2034. 21 Years and 182 days AE.**

**Ristvak'baen.**

Though Predaking kneeled, he did what no 'Con dared: he looked Megatron in the optics.

"All squadron report the same. Our enemies are falling into a false sense of security, making them more careless." the Predacon reported neutrally.

Megatron hid his contempt for the creature's impertinence of looking him in the eye. "Good. Continue the patrols, and remember to avoid conflict and contact, at all costs. If necessary, tell them to retreat. We are not risking a confrontation just yet."

"Understood, Lord Megatron."

"Dismissed." but Predaking hesitated while getting up to leave. "Is there a problem?"

For the first time, Predaking looked concerned. "Recently some of my brethren have been growing ill. They feel a weakness growing within."

Megatron was stone faced. "When has this begun and how many have been affected?"

"During our scouting missions, separate squadrons have noticed a growing frailty, and no matter how much they fuel, the weakness persists and grows. A handful are practically unable to take flight. Nearly a half of our forces are growing weak by the day. I fear this disease is spreading."

A thoughtful Megatron took a hand to his chin. "Have you felt any of its effects?"

"None my liege."

"Has any other Predacon displayed signs of imminent transformation?"

Predaking blinked. "...No, Lord Megatron."

Megatron noted his slight hesitance to give that answer. There was no ember of doubt now this young 'Majesty' was keeping secrets from him.

"I shall consult with Shockwave. He did mentioned in passage this transformation of yours could have anomalous effects on your biology. Yet you are free of such disease. Have all the Predacons go to Shockwave for a treatment."

"Thank you, my Lord. But I would prefer if the hailed ones went first, as they are the ones in most need."

"How commendable of you. Dismissed." Predaking turned back, transformed and flew away from the tower. While Megatron's optics followed him, his processor burnt with the information he learnt from this little report.

The Predacon army is falling victim to a mysterious sickness, meaning Shockwave's contingency to weaken the Predacons was functioning.

Predaking was lying to him about the evolution of other Predacons, meaning more are about to achieve this evolutionary status, if they haven't already and kept it secret.

Concluding, Predaking was indeed keeping secrets, possibly conspiring against him.

Another thing, Predaking also insisted the sick Predacons were treated in priority, meaning he did value his brethren above himself...or he was suspicious of Shockwave. Megatron wasn't about to gamble with the later. He too flew off the tower and made his way to Shockwave's laboratory. He passed the layers of security and clearance. The secret project that the scientist was conducting was one only the two of them knew, and he intended to keep that circle as no circle.

"Shockwave, I understand the anti-predacon protocol is operating."

"Indeed, my liege. I have been broadcasting the ultrasonic frequency that is impairing the Predacons. It is inaudible to their senses, but it is just enough to cause massive irritation and stress in their processors."

"Excellent. Predaking informs me that more than half of his kind is afflicted. They will be coming to you for a cure. I trust your have everything prepared for phase two."

Shockwave nodded silently, sending a sideways look to a pile of vials of green glowing substance.

"But remember, Shockwave, not to go through with anything until you have administered you concoction to _every _Predacon, particularly to Predaking. I don't want any loose ends. It is now certain our self-entitled majesty has not been wholly sincere regarding the evolution of his kind. Amongst other things." Megatron knew of one godlike thing Predaking hadn't been honest about, too.

"If the Predacons are hiding their potential from our knowledge, then it is clear they believe the possibility of becoming our enemies is probable. I will endeavour in order to accelerate results."

"See that you do and quickly. Everything we strove to build stand on rusted foundation. I will not allow the Decepticon Imperium to crumble by the claws of your own creations." Shockwave was unfazed by that bark and watched Megatron vacating.

Cycles later and a long line of Predacons formed outside. Shockwave finished infusing a light blue nameless Predacon with a green substance.

"Next."

Another nameless Predacon walked in, heavily. By now more than three quarters of the entire Predacon force were affected and needing a 'cure'. Predaking wasn't among them, though. He filed the vaccine with another dose of the green stuff and injected into the Predacon.

"Next."

* * *

**Oregon, Decepticon territory.**

The nameless brown Predacon was recharging atop a house. His patrol duty was finished so he treated himself to a well-deserved rest. His optics opened when he heard the sound of giant wings hitting the wind. He looked up and saw the much larger form of Predaking landing before him. The smaller Predacon bowed his head to the pack leader.

Predaking transformed. The nameless one found the transformation to be strange and intriguing. Many times he wondered if he could do the same…

"You are one of the best of our race in sneaking up to a prey." Predaking knew all of his siblings, their strengths, weaknesses and particularities. "I have a mission for you."

* * *

**One hour later.**

**Kansas, buffer zone (abandoned Decepticon state).**

Another dull patrol for Smokescreen and Riku became not so dull.

"Riku, you stay back!" Smokescreen ordered before he approached the object of their discovery with guns hot and ready.

"You think it's recharging or in-stasis?"

"Didn't I tell you to stay back?" Smoke frowned at the human.

"Did you expect me to sit back?" Riku frowned at the 'bot. Smoke sighed.

Blocking the road was the original Predacon, the biggest and most infamous of them all, unmoving and apparently unaware of their presence.

"No clue if it's even offline. I'd rather pass up a chance to get near a Predacon. But if we can capture it, maybe Perceptor could find what makes these things tick. If I recall, this one was called 'Predaking' or..." Smoke looked down to his partner, who walked towards the predator. He grabbed him gentle but firmly, much to Riku's dislike, and place him down and away from the Predacon. "You. Stay. Here. I mean it, this time."

"Fine, killjoy." resoluted, Riku opted to sit down and observe his partner approach the enormous slumbering beast when a looming shadow engulfed him from behind. He didn't have time to scream when a brown clawed paw grabbed him and took flight.

"RIKU!" Smokescreen turned around to see his partner being taken by a smaller Predacon. He could do nothing, for Predaking abandoned his fake stasis and tackled him. He then transformed and flew after his younger brother.

"No!" Smokescreen lifted his head from the painful ground. Again Riku was taken from his side. "I don't think so!"

He drove off the road in hot pursuit of the Predacons. He didn't care that his alt-mode wasn't made for driving in rough ground. All he cared was that his partner was in the clutches of fragging Predacons, whom were getting more and more distant in the sky!

"Damn it!" he transformed into robot and punched the ground.

"What are you crying about?" he looked up to see a white 'bot with a scowl.

"Wheeljack! I need your help."

"Why should I give it to a scrub 'Bot?" Wheeljack was still grinding his engines for the death of Miko, not to mention still mad at Smokescreen for the last time they met.

"You hate me, that's fine by me. But I need your ship, or else Miko's son will die!"

"Let's ride." Wheeljack pushed a button in his comm, calling the ship on autopilot. In three minutes, the Jackhammer landed and they embarked. Smokescreen had filled in the situation. They ended up hovering the central plain of Kansas that extended to the horizon in all directions.

"Why would Predacons kidnap the kid?"

"Don't know, don't care. All I want is get him back before he's on Buckethead's greasy servos." Smokescreen didn't take his eyes off the radar. There were no Predacons in sight. "I can't believe we lost them."

Wheeljack shook his head. "We didn't lose them. They didn't have much of a head-start on us. And couldn't couldn't bridge out, or else we'd pick up the signal. My guess is they're around here, but hiding."

* * *

**Salina, Kansas. Former Decepticon frontier post.**

In situations of stress, one loses track of time. Nonetheless, Riku bet they weren't flying for long when his captor dropped him inside a vast empty warehouse. First shocker was, no Megatron or 'Cons in sight expecting a prisoner. The second shocker was seeing the big boss Predacon's optics staring him down.

Out of instinct and desperation, Riku threw a metal pebble at the beast's head. Needless to say how great that worked.

Finally, the third shocker was the big boss Predacon transforming into a bipedal but still feral-looking cybertronian.

"Are you done, human?"

"You can transform?" Riku crawled backwards.

"I am no mindless beast."

Riku looked around. The brown Predacon that abducted him settled down a long distance away and showed no further interest in him.

"Why am I here? You're waiting for Megatron to pick me up?"

Predaking didn't respond at once. He wouldn't let the human know that Lord Megatron had forbidden him of revealing his new form to the Autobots. He was aware of that when he made plans to acquire the boy. Predaking needed to talk with this human. What Megatron didn't know could not hurt him.

"Tell me, how do you feel being the last true human?"

Riku stared daggers at him. Megatron had mocked him with a similar inquiry when they were in Unicron's insides. "Did Megs order you to ask me that?"

"No, I ask the question on my own will."

Riku pffed. "Whatever. Newsflash for you, I won't be the last human. There are millions on Australia and soon enough, we will liberate them."

"Those are not _true_ humans. They are slaves in body and mind. In my sight, they are not even sentient being. A creature who is not free doesn't live."

The boy looked at him weirdly. "Fine. I feel pissed off about it."

Predaking growled under his breath. Whatever he might have expected was, the answer turned out quite disappointing.

"You claim to be furious but you do nothing about it. I've read Soundwave's archives; you are but a footnote but it mentions you are wilful and rebellious like your mother. If…"

"SHUT UP!" Predaking was taken aback by that outburst. One moment the boy spoke in passionless mutters, the next he growled with rage. "You don't get to talk about my mom!"

"Why do you care about your femme progenitor?" Predaking was genuinely puzzled. "I know very little about human growing, but you are able to move and think on your own. By my standards, you shouldn't require your progenitors' supervision, anymore."

It was Riku's turn to be taken aback. "Uh...well, things aren't that cut and dry for humans."

"I read your parents began aiding the Autobots in small roles when they were your age. You choose not to fight because you have no purpose." Predaking snarled and turned towards the exit. "This was an idiotic whim of mine! To think I actually believed you and I had something in common. You are but a groveling worm without a cause to fight."

As much as he didn't care about the self-righteous majesty, that jab couldn't go unanswered. And what better way to jab him back than to use his own words against him:

"Says the not _true_ Predacon."

Predaking halted and looked at him, daringly: "Explain yourself. Quickly."

Riku retributed the glare. "You heard me. You're no true Predacon, you're just a slave to Buckethead like all the _not-true_ humans under my uncle's whip."

The ground trembled as Predaking changed modes and snarled a mouthful of fangs and heat at him. Riku was tossed on his back by the dragon's breath. For a second the beast seemed ready to vaporize him, but held back and transformed again.

"I serve Lord Megatron out of gratitude for giving life back to my kind. Once we eradicate every last Autobot, Lord Megatron will give this planet to us as a reward."

Riku spoke with a more measured voice. "Did Megatron tell you that?"

Predaking hesitated. "It does not matter. Lord Megatron rewards loyalty. I know he will give my kind a planet to rule."

"Do you really think he would give away Earth? Back when Megatron had the Omega Lock, he choose to cyberform Earth instead of his home planet. I doubt he would just give it on a cybertitanium platter after all the energon he spilt over this ball of metal."

"You are but a youngling. What do you know about Megatron or myself?"

"I know he doesn't hesitate to exterminate entire races to get what he wants. If you cross him, he'll do the same to you."

The Tracker Predacon made himself noticed with a soft howl. He wagged his head to the sides like trying to swat a fly. Predaking touched Tracker's head, trying to calm him down.

"It's affecting you, as well. Fly back to Shockwave and have him give you the cure." Predaking spoke with actual care, so contrasting from the indifference or occasional rage he demonstrated to Riku.

Tracker walked out of the building and flew away.

* * *

**Aboard the Jackhammer.**

"One contact. Predacon!" Smokescreen flared up as much as the radar did. They detected a Predacon flying. "He came from there." he pointed to an empty town.

* * *

"What's with him?" Riku asked casually.

"Most of my brethren have been struck with an illness." Predaking made the answer as simple as that.

"They're sick?"

"You would know." Predaking gave him a glare. "It all started during the patrols. I know the Autobots have deployed some bioweapon."

Riku protested: "They did none of that! Plagues are all the style of the 'Cons!"

"You lie!" and the snarling Predaking was back. "Why would Lord Megatron wish to wound my kind?"

"We're looping back to our earlier chat. I told you Megatron doesn't like sharing planets. He killed Cybertron because he wouldn't share it with the 'Bots. He killed humanity because he wouldn't share Earth."

"Don't bother to try and deceive me. I know the Autobots are responsible."

"You really are decided on hating the 'Bots, aren't you?"

"I do not hate the Autobots. They are my enemy, but I take no more joy is slaying them than I taken in speaking to you. The only Autobot I do despise is your leader, Optimus Prime." Predaking snarled. "He tried to use his blade to eradicate my army!"

Riku's spine trembled, but he remained unmoved by the Predacon's rant. It sounded like the big guy's _brilliant_ speech mattered to him, but it was just a narration full of self-righteousness. Riku tuned out most of it, hearing it like someone in the streets hears the surrounding crowd.

"...I woke up in a world where I was the only one of my kind. Then more of my own appeared. Do you know what it's like to be born thinking you are alone forever, and then appears the hope of being surrounded by those who share your thoughts and feelings?"

Riku did tune out _most_, not all of it. And that was enough to grab his attention.

"Actually, I do." the boy confessed in a sigh. He discovered that he was truly alone during his jumping through other dimensions. Upon his visit to the technorganic Earth, he saw something he had never imagined before: humanity. "Look, I get why you're like that, but Optimus tried to do what you'd do in the same situation. He was protecting his kind."

Whatever reply Predaking may have had was lost as the ceiling collapsed and Wheeljack and Smokescreen made an entrance.

"Hold it, Pred…" Smokescreen looked between Riku and the bipedal Cybertronian. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Without warning, Predaking transformed and flew off through the hole in the ceiling, leaving behind two surprised Autobots.

"Did he just…"

"He did, Jackie." Riku answered.

"Riku, you alright?"

"Just fine, Smoke. Had a chit chat with Predaking."

"Good, 'cause when we get back to New York, I'm asking Ratchet to install a tracking microchip in your neck."

* * *

**At night.**

**Ristvak'baen.**

"Lord Megatron, I'd would have words."

Megatron was just berating and threatening a chief technician to have a weapons factory running back on an impossible schedule when Predaking came up behind him with that request. When the Lord of the Decepticons turned to face him, the Predacon saw how frustrated and aggravated his master was. Predaking choose to just get this over with and ask what he intended.

"Did you cause the sickness that afflicts my army?"

The words came out without forethought. Ideas of suspicion and paranoia had been festering his processor since his sour conversation with the human. He now realized the full extend of how much the human had poisoned him. He hurried to make an apology for that nonsensical accusation, but Megatron beat him to it by giving the last answer Predaking expected.

"Indeed, your _Majesty_." he sneered. So bewildered Predaking was that he couldn't dodge the fusion cannon blast to the front. Predaking fell on his back, disoriented and looking up to Megatron aiming his steaming cannon to his chest. "And now this overdue extermination begins."

"No!" Predaking punched Megatron's cannon away and rose to his feet unsteadily. One servo clenched his chest injury. "Why are you betraying us?"

"Because I will never allow anyone with greater might than myself on my planet." Megatron went for his comm. "Change of plans, Shockwave. Proceed with phase two."

* * *

In his private lab, Shockwave went for the machine that was broadcasted the interference that weakened the Predacons. It had been modified to react with the green concoction he had infused almost the entire Predacon army with. All he had to do now was flick a switch.

* * *

All over the Decepticon capital, everyone's audio receptors were attacked by the pained shrieks of Predacons. The beasts, flying or on the ground went in a frenzy as they attacked each other. Predaking couldn't see it, but he could sense most of his race descending into a auto genocidal madness.

"What have you done to my brethren?!" confusion was obscured by rage.

"Shockwave makes every one of his efforts into an experiment. The 'cure' he injected into your siblings is one such." Megatron smirked.

"Predacons have astonishing resilience to pathogenic attacks, so a simple engineered plague would never have eradicated you. Instead of breaking through your defenses, Shockwave manufactured a way to slip through them. The false cure was a dose of synthetic energon of an uncomplete formula, which your systems' would perceive as fuel and not a poison. That aggression increasing effects coupled with the nanites it was mixed with, have now caused every infected Predacon to see their own kind as the enemy. In their frenzy, they believe they are fighting Autobots when in reality they are causing the second Predacon extinction."

Outside, his brothers and sister lunged, tore and slaughtered each other without understanding they were causing their own Holocaust.

"Megatron! I will tear you apart!" Predaking lunged at the Decepticon but found himself suspended in midair and then planted to the ground. Behind Megatron stepped Cyclonus carrying the Polarity Gauntlet. Megatron planted a foot on the immobilized Predaking's throat.

"For too long I have suffered scraplet bites for no gain. From that crazed human to Unicron's Terrorcons, I have seen setbacks and this war spiralling out of my control. Since the Battle of Geneva I have not tasted through victory, and that victory was only achieved by you. And yes, I know of your spoils of that battle. I had suspicions you had taken the Star Saber away, but only when your revealed the depth of your intelligence did I realized my suspicions were correct. But your borrowed time in this era is over!" he pressed his foot down. If cybertronians required air, Predaking would have suffocated.

"It's time for the Decepticons to fight and win this war by themselves. This world is ours! Not yours, not the humans' and not the Autobots'. Now return to oblivion."

There was the hum of Megatron's cannon powering up. Predaking struggled to move, but to no avail. Megatron aimed at his head. The end came as a flash of light.

Minutes later, ravaged bodies of Predacons lied everywhere in the city. The Beast Wars was over.

"Decepticons, gather all those empty husks. I want to be certain there are twenty-four corpses to count." Megatron looked back to the carcass of Predaking. "Bring this one to Shockwave. His processor may still be warm enough to pluck out some information."

* * *

Originally, Predaking was rescued by the named ones (who hadn't taken the 'cure') and they flew him to safety. Riku was meant to grow up and foster a peace treaty between Predacons and Autobots. The first story plan was turning Earth into a hellhole of war with a **fifth-sided conflict**: autobots on eastern USA, decepticons on western USA, Rafael's scraplets on Australia, rebellious predacons on Egypt and Unicron at the center. Decades of all-out war later, Earth would be ravaged and just as dead as Cybertron, humanity would be extinct and the survivors would be forced into a Second Exodus.

Instead, I'm letting it go a more calm but no less tragic path. So goes the Renaissance of the Predacons and one more genocide on Megatron's curriculum. Next chapter will get a time-jump.


	26. Cadmus

**TO ALL MY READERS, I am back. I want to thank you all for your supportive notes. As I have declared before, I am now spending much more time with my family, but I decided to devote a tiny amount of time to writing, still. Now, I want be making updates as often as I used to and some non-Transformer stories might be discontinued or put in hiatus for years.**

**But this story that is so close to be completed, I am continuing. Please, be so kind to remove the reviews you put on the previous chapter 26 note. 'All that Remains' is coming to a close.**

**Game-Watch**: Sometimes what draws us to the story is that a villain is a good one. If a villain is really a bad guy, than you know he's a good villain.

* * *

**9th May 2034. 21 Years and 189 days AE.**

**Empire State Building, Autobot HQ, New York.**

"Autobots, our mission is one of both aggression and salvation."

Optimus presided over the assault force selected for the mission. Present were Autobots of different roles and backgrounds: Wreckers, Elite Guards, the Bullet Trains and the Dinobots.

"Our first mission to Australia was aborted in light of the Night of Unicron." Optimus didn't elaborate that point. It was still fresh in everyone's memory and so would be for eons to come. "Today, we continue that mission."

Many Bots shared one question and it was Grimlock who pointed it out: "Why are we risking our tailpipes to save a bunch of fleshlings when we should be pounding Decepticons while they're weak?" it sounded more like a demand than a question. Many Autobots agreed, albeit not verbally.

"Megatron will be too preoccupied in rebuilding his forces even after we complete this mission. The more time the humans remain under Rafael's grasp the more remote our chances of helping them regain their freedom of mind might become. I will not put out this mission any longer."

The Dinobot leader resigned to that. Some of the more fair-minded and sympathetic 'Bots believed the best way to help the humans was annihilating Megatron first. He was the bigger threat. In the War for Cybertron, never the Autobots had had such a perfect, tempting opportunity to win the war.

"And, as I know Megatron, even if we were to launch an attack on their capital, absolute victory will not be certain. He would not have destroyed the Predacons if he had not a secure means of halting such an attack."

For the last week, no Predacons had been sighted. When Radiowave reported the 'Con signals chatting over the genocide of the beasts ordered by Megatron himself, the Autobots were in disbelief. But Optimus, who heard from Riku about Predaking's ability to transform, deduced Megatron had wiped out the Predacons out of fear they would rise against him. Whereas the majority of the Autobots were relieved they wouldn't have to tangle with the beasts, anymore, Optimus mourned the death of another species at the servos of his archenemy.

"But I too see it as an opportunity, which is why the bulk of our forces will remain here. Captain Fireblade will launch raids on the Decepticon Imperium to soften and weaken their recovery." that would appease some of the unfortunately more warlike and vengeful Autobots.

"Our assault will begin as the last. Our Elite Guard forces and Team Bullet Trains will be divided into assault groups assigned to different labor camps. The first party of each assault group will sneak beyond the border and open groundbridge portals from within for the rest of the assault group to attack."

Australia was shielded from invading groundbridges by a disruptor net. While a groundbridge couldn't be opened from the outside, it could be done from the inside.

"Once the local scraplets are eliminated, you will transport the humans through the groundbridge to Ratchet's workshop."

Ratchet had had enough time to build thousands of human-sized stasis pods ready to put the humans in. Rafael had fed his slaves with a chemical that made them placid and obedient, a mental slavery. Ratchet had yet to find a cure for it and they could not afford to keep millions of humans active around.

"As for the rest of us - Dinobots and Wreckers - will be given a different target." a hologram of a large dome in a narrow valley "This is the Alpha Hive, located in what used to be Simpson Desert. We believe this secluded, one-of-a-kind scraplet hive is where Rafael resides. It's protected by a special breed of Elite Beeterrors, the hardiest of scraplets. Your mission is to infiltrate this hive and apprehend Rafael. If inevitable, incapacitate him."

As far as the Autobots knew, Rafael was nothing more than a mangled body, whose brain was kept functional by survival equipment. He was plugged to a computer that allowed him to watch all over the scraplet infested continent and control them from great distance. If they could take out the head, the scraplets would lose what little military tactic behavior they had. Maybe they could even release Bumblebee, whom was now the brainwashed servant of Rafael, Goldbug.

Optimus began handing the different teams their assigned locations. Jack would be assigned with an Elite Guard team lead by Ironhide.

A quarter hour later, Jack and his team were on the groundbridge nexus. Their away team had gone by ship to the coast of Australia and when they opened their portal from the land, they would go in.

"Dad!" Riku came running, with Smokescreen following behind. "Just came to wish you good luck."

"Thanks, kid. But I don't think we'll need it. Last time it went well."

Right on cue, the bridge opened for him.

"Well, duty calls. Don't break the house until I get back."

"No promises." Riku smirked. Jack would have smiled more; it felt like the rift that was between them since Miko's death had never been. With hope, the man followed his comrades into the vortex.

"Good luck, Jack." Smokescreen wished. "We better get out of here, partner."

"Why? You're afraid I'll jump into the next bridge I see?"

"Definitely." Smokescreen smiled in spite of his partner's reckless behavior.

"You're a chip of the old block." commented a 'Bot behind them, Wheeljack.

"Hey, Jackie. Good luck to you, too. Show those scrap-eaters a Wrecker is too tough for them to chew on."

"Will do, kid." the partnerless Wrecker gave a smile of his own.

* * *

**An hour later.**

Scraplet hives were built out of regurgitated goop like a wasp nest. The only exception was the Alpha Hive, the inferior half of the dome was metal covered with defense systems such as turrets. The upper half was hard, solidified yellow goop with a texture similar to a honeycomb. The Alpha Hive was conceived to be impregnable.

Today that would be put to test.

A small but lethally armed assault ship approached and was immediately a target for the turrets of the hive. The ship wasn't conceived for evasive flight but its pilot was able to dodge the fire.

"Wheeljack, you haven't lost your touch." Springer, leader of the Wreckers, gave a thumbs up to a pilot. It was a gesture picked up from their human member, whom in honor they embarked on this mission.

Wheeljack had the ship flying in between the shots while passing above the yellow top. He pressed a button. "Drop bombs!"

Explosive shells hit the yellow surface dead on. Wheeljack turned the ship around for another barrage. When the smoke cleared, the turrets were destroyed but damage was dealt to the dome. The Wreckers weren't the least bit disappointed.

"That would have been too easy." Kup, the veteran, grumbled. "Wreckers don't do easy."

"How 'easy' is this for ya?" Wheeljack pointed to the holographic radar. A swarm of bigger beeterrors was closing in; the Elite Beeterrors were upon the ship. The vessel trembled and began losing altitude. "They're grinding our ship. They'll chew through the hull and break in before we hit the ground."

"Perfect." Springer smirked. That was the cue. Wheeljack activated the auto-pilot and something else to take care of the giant bug infestation.

The hatch opened and one by one, the Wreckers launched themselves through the air. The beeterrors kept eating the ship, unaware their enemies had fled…

BOOM!

The ship self-destructed, taking out the mutated scraplets with it. The Wreckers made their heavy landing on their feet while the flaming wreck landed behind them, making a perfect wallpaper of badass. Wheeljack's peed even crushed the skull of a beeterror upon contacting the ground.

"This was some entrance!" Hot Shot, the newest Wrecker cheered.

"And there's the welcoming committee." Moonracer, the snipper femme aimed her riffle to one Elite Beeterror of the second in-coming swarm. One shot and the creature exploded. She grinned. "If these things had half a brain, they'd know better than to fly in a straight line."

"Wreckers, get ready to wreck!" Springer pulled out his gun.

It wasn't a first for the Wreckers to battle giant scraplets. On the first interrupted campaign to liberate humanity, they battled and defeated ordinary beeterrors. The creatures had instinct and determination but lacked the cleverness of Predacons. They were nothing more than metal-eating uglier Insecticons. The present foes were Elite Beeterrors. Bigger, tougher, the most loyal to the mad King, but still not too smart.

"Gonna need a lot of clean up, afterwards." Wheeljack leaped in the air and span with his blades slicing off a beeterror's head. Another enemy struck from behind and he span his blades a nick too late to stop the assault. While the deadly blow was blocked, the beeterror did bite off a piece of armor from shoulder.

Wheeljack gritted his dental. "You forgot your dessert." He made the wound squirt energon to the scraplet's face. Swiftly, he made a spark on the monster's face with his sword, igniting the liquid and killing it.

A quick scan around told him the battle was practically over and the Elite Beeterrors had no sense of cooperation.

The uneasy quiet was broken by a furious roar. The Wreckers looked in the same direction, ready for another round. Instead, the Dinobots came charging in their namesake alt-modes. The Tyrannosaurus transformed and after examining the destruction, looked down on the Wreckers.

"What happened here?"

"What do you think it happened?" Springer replied, not the least intimidated. "We wrecked the party."

"You should have left some for us!"

"Not our fault you're late." Springer shrugged. It was known secret Grimlock was more irascible than usual since the destruction of the Predacons. The way he saw it, only a Predacon had the metal to give him the fighting he constantly craved.

"No worries, Grim." Swoop tried to appease his leader and friend. "Sure we'll find more uglies to smash."

"Doesn't matter. If the puny Wreckers could beat them, they were no challenge for…"

Then the earth trembled. A crack stretched towards the Alpha Hive like a giant serpent. A giant worm of metal with a sawing mouth, a Grindworm, burst from the ground. Grindworms were simply described as giant lobworm of metal. The only distinguishable part they had on their filamentated bodies was the mouth.

"It's the big one." Kup grimaced.

"Leave it to me!" Grimlock didn't hesitate to try tackle the monster. 'Try' because in spite of Grimlock being a giant amongst Cybertronians, he was a dwarf compared to the manufactured scraplet. Not that it stopped the Dinobot from trying to hold on to the Grindworm's supposed head.

"You get him, boss!" Swoop cheered.

"Should we do something?" Hot Shot was divided between shooting at the monster and sit back and watch Grimlock's attempt to ride it.

"Yeah, our mission, kid." Kup growled. He and Wheeljack went to place a small but potent collection of grenades at the metallic base of the dome. At a safe distance, an energon shot was fire that ignited the explosives. The tremor and noise it caused paled in comparison to the cowboy rodeo between Grimlock and the Grindworm, but it was felt nonetheless. To their dismay it did no damage.

"Slag it! Can't blow a hole on the yellow snot, can't blow it on the metal support. There must be a weakness on this thing. A soft spot we can punch through." Kup gave a quick look to the structure. They had surveyed the hive from the air on the ship and saw no visible entrance. He guessed the compound would have a secret doorway, perhaps an underground tunnel somewhere.

"Grimlock commands you to do as GRIMLOCK COMMANDS!" the Dinobot's roar drew everyone's optics. He had stabbed his fiery sword on the creature's head. The beast seemed strangely calmer, it no longer tried as hard to shake him off. The Dinobot saw that as his undeniable victory. "GRIMLOCK IS KING!"

Grimlock brutally steered the embedded sword forward and the Grindworm restarted its attempts to get rid of the Dinobot. It lunged forward to dive into the ground. Grimlock pulled at his sword and the beast hissed in agony, twisting to the sides with such vigor that the sword and the 'Bot were thrown off.

"Boss, you okay?" the Dinobots went to attend their leader.

Some say 'Bots like Wheeljack were reckless and act on the spur of a moment without thinking first. That was only half-truth. A 'Bot like Wheeljack didn't survive this long as a Wrecker by going into a battle without analyzing first. And his quick analysis of Grimlock's stunt prompted a smirk to his face.

"Hey, Swoop! Can you give me lift?" he called out to the pterodactyl.

"Uh, sure. But to where?" when Wheeljack pointed his intention, the other Wreckers protested.

"Have you got scraplets eating through your processor?" Kup barked. "What do you think you can do that a Dinobot can't?"

"Something smart."

Grimlock growled, hearing the snarky response from the white Wrecker. Swoop shrugged it off and carried Wheeljack into the air. It was fortunate the smallest Dinobot was still strong enough to carry the Wrecker.

"You sure about this? If Grim couldn't…"

"I'm sure."

"Your funeral." the Dinobot dropped him above the twisting and turning Grindworm. Wheeljack embedded his swords on the monster to hold himself onto it. Piercing his way up to the creature's end where Grimlock briefly rode was a challenge on itself. The giant scraplet wouldn't stop moving and Wheeljack found himself desperately grabbing the hilts of his swords.

"Alright, you oversized scrap-eater." he groaned, joints aching from the exercise of reaching the top. "Time for you to take the back seat." he stabbed one sword like Grimlock did, and the creature's shaking was appeased somewhat. Carefully, he steered the sword forward like a joystick and the Grindworm lunged forward. He pulled it back just nick and it halted. Wheeljack chuckled loudly.

Down on the ground, Dinobots and Wreckers were stupefied:

"Did that son of glitch just _tame_ a giant mutant scraplet?"

"You go, Jackie!" Springer raised his fist.

Fisitron gave a sideways look to the Dinobots. "Guess big jobs aren't exclusively on Dinobot department, anymore." that earned scowls and dirt looks from the Dinobots. While Autobot internal relations were friendlier than Decepticon ones, that didn't stop the Dinobots from claiming to be the toughest subdivision, which was true. That caused some friction between other subdivisions who shared the same belief about themselves, chief among them the Wreckers. Today, a Wrecker had just one-upped a Dinobot.

"Alright, let's do this." Wheeljack tilted the sword a bit forward, guiding the creature to his goal: the Alpha Hive. "Now, eat up!"

The Grindworm's rotating jaws bit the impregnable metal base of the dome and didn't let go. Finally the beast had something it could grind! It slowly devoured the thick outer wall until it reached the inside. Wheeljack pulled the sword back, steering it out of the hole.

"Thanks for the help. You've earned a treat." Wheeljack threw a grenade into the mouth and jumped before the explosion destroyed the head. He landed painfully on the ground, subsequently surrounded by his fellow Wreckers. Springer and Kup helped him up, patting him in the back.

"That's our mech, Wheeljack!" Hot Shot complimented.

"That was amazing, Jackie. You outdone the big Grim."

The Dinobots didn't feel like celebrating, especially the leader who roared to his soldiers. "The Elite Guard needs us to save their hides. Dinobots, transform and charge!"

They on their pre-historic forms and stomped out of there like rampaging beasts. Fisitron laughed:

"How much you wanna bet the Elite Guard is doing just fine and big Grim just made that up?"

"I don't take sucker bets." Wheeljack smirked.

The time of celebrating was short-lived as a buzzing sound filled their audio receptors. The horizon became tainted with dark spots. Wasp-like scraplets that shot red webbing through the orifices where the stinger would be on an Earth wasp. The webbing was thick and resilient to energon shots.

"Webstingers." Moonracer whispered.

"If he's sending those pests, it's because His Majesty has ran out of big and nasty troops." Wheeljack looked back to the hole. It was small enough for just one 'Bot to cover it. "You guys go on ahead. I'll keep 'em out of our tailpipes."

"What are you talking about? We can take them together." Springer said.

"No can do, Spring. The sooner you get to Raf, the sooner we can make him stop his pets. We can't do that if these mosquitos follow us in. Now go." he unsheathed his swords and activated the mouthguard.

Springer knew he had a good point, but he wasn't about to leave behind a 'Bot who had done so much for the team, today. Wheeljack saw this hesitation and barked.

"I'm the best fighter this team has and I've held my metal against tougher crowds. Now go."

"Alright, take one for the team." Springer bumped his fist on Wheeljack's, followed by all the others. They followed the leader into the hole and Wheeljack put himself between it and the swarm.

"Come at me, bugs!" The webstingers shot the immobilizing web. Wheeljack deployed a small weapon of his own making. A simple modification to his cannon allowed it to shoot a stream of fire that incinerated the webs. They were invulnerable to energon, but not to fire.

"Eat this!" he threw a grenade and fired an energon shot. The resulting explosion annihilated a small percentage of the swarm and the rest attacked Wheeljack like angry bees against a larger solitary hornet. Instead of using webs, the scraplet attached to his armor and began eating it.

"Get off me!" Wheeljack kept his cool. The best way to avoid a scraplet swarm from making you a meal was keeping mobile. But he couldn't move from his post, or the scrap-eaters would go after his team. That was not an option.

"_Jackie? How are you holding?_" Moonracer spoke through his comm.

"Just peachy. How about you?" he pulled one webstinger after another off of him, shooting them dead. A few slipped past him, nothing his friends couldn't handle.

"_We're nearing Rafael's vault. But we'll need some more time to break in. Can you hold them off for a bit more?_"

"No prob." Wheeljack clenched his dental not to yell in pain. A trio of webstingers just chewed on the neural system on his already injured shoulder. He was leaking energon on four different places and the little scrap-eaters were starting to dig under his armor. Only one thing to get rid of them.

"Feel the heat!" he fired his flamethrower at his own chassis. The smoldering heat drew a cry of pain from the Wrecker. The scraplets digging under his armor and into his motor systems hissed in agony and came rushing out of him. Intense heat didn't necessarily kill webstingers, but they sure couldn't take it. Wheeljack was pest-free but unable to move his left arm. That idea had impaired his movements and the webstingers took advantage of that. They passed by him and went into the dome after the other Wreckers.

"I...don't think so!" he forced his right arm to grab a grenade. The last he had. A flash of a memory decades past ran in his processor when he told a certain human girl.

"_I only carry one at the time."_

He had started carrying more than one some time ago.

"_Jackie, we've got in-coming scrap-eaters. Are you alright?_"

"Just...peachy." in spite of the pain, the exhaustion and danger alerts appearing on his sight, Wheeljack smile. "In fact...I got something to say."

"_What?_"

"Sayonara, baby!" with a troublemaking grin on his face, Wheeljack pulled the pin on the grenade and shoved it in his deepest energon leaking wound.

The resulting ignition, fueled by all the energon inside a grown Cybertronian, triggered an explosion that shook the entire hive.

* * *

**Inside Alpha Hive.**

"What was that?" Moonracer asked after the trembled and the guttural sounds of a blast.

"Let's move." Springer was a bit snappier than necessary. There was a foreboding he didn't want to know what happened outside.

"Done!" Kup and Fisitron just finished melting the lock to the vault. The massive door was blown away and, for the first time in history, Autobots entered the King of scraplet's private chambers.

"_So the riff-raff barbarians decide to make themselves a little invasion and walk their dirty bare feet all over my throne room?_"

"Oh, Primus. That's just sick." Hot Shot took a hand to his chest to smooth his fuel tank. In the center of the vault was a tube filled with a transparent liquid and a mangled corpse. A human corpses with two legs and one arm twisted in impossible angles. The skeleton was quite noticeable, due to injuries and a state of malnourishment. The head was like an orange of rugged peel with glassed eyeballs and the top was cut open, to allow multiple cables to plug to the brain.

"Sorry to barge in unannounced your majesty. I don't say this often...you're under arrest." Springer gave the body a hard glare, though he knew well that was not where the voice came from. The tube kept the mutilated human body alive, but in a vegetative state. The supercomputer, plugged to the mad king's brain, performed all the higher functions. From speaking to surveying the continents and controlling all scraplets.

"Time to pull the plug on your reign." Springer walked towards the computer.

"_Barbarians! Invaders! Trespassers on royal property! I shall have you hanged, skinned alive__, guillotined __for this! I united the lost people! I am the KING!"_

He pulled the plug on the supercomputer.

* * *

All around Australia, Autobots were pleasantly surprised as the scraplets went offline.

* * *

Kup carried the tube with the vegetable human over his shoulders. The Wreckers had accomplished the mission and were walking their way out of the Alpha Hive.

"Come in, Wheeljack?" Moonracer got only static. "Still not answering his comm."

Springer was grimmly quiet.

When they entered the light of day, a flash of white blinded them. Something quickly hit Kup on the back and grabbed the tube.

"Hold it!" Springer fired at the thief of black and golden armor, but he took off and flew out of their reach.

"The scrap was that?" Hot Shot asked.

"Goldbug. He's got his _King._" Springer sighed. "Nothing to do about it, now."

"Oh, no…" Moonracer sighed in lament. The group followed her gaze to a battle torn display. A burnt crater in the center, scorched pieces of offline scraplets scattered around. In the crater was the shattered, blackened husk of a Wrecker who had sacrificed everything for the team and the memory of a partner.

* * *

**An hour later.**

**Honor Cemetery (restored after the Night of Unicron), New York.**

Optimus again stood before a crowd of Autobots.

"Today, we have cause both for celebration and mourning."

The crowd was not as great as before the mission. There were no smothered whispers, only respectful silence. The Wreckers were at the front of the crowd, looking the most mournful but steady. Many 'Bots whom participated in the mission were present, including the Dinobots. Grimlock's expression was always hard to decipher through his red visor, but he appeared respectful if not grieving.

"The mission we embarked today was not to gain resources, territory or nay advantage over the Decepticons, but rather to preserve the values we fight for. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. The humans suffered the loss of that and much more when their world died. Today we saved many of them and made more possible for their young species to have a future again." Optimus optics travelled to Jack and Riku, whom were on Smokescreen's shoulders. "For that future, we have reason to rejoice.

"As Alpha Trion wisely declared once, nothing worth achieving is ever easily achieved. To ensure that future, we suffered a great loss. Due to the actions of a courageous Autobot, our enemies were incapacitated and we were able to save many more innocents than we had hoped at first. The hero who sacrificed everything for the mission, for the cause, and more importantly, for the memory of a friend: Wheeljack. Wrecker, soldier, friend."

The honored deceased lied on a table above a smelting tank. It was Cybertronian tradition to melt the dead and recycle most of the body into parts for the living. Like the Spark of the deceased returned to the Well of AllSparks for one day emerge into a new life, the husk would be part of its own reincarnation cycle. Only a small portion of the metal wouldn't be recycled, but instead crafted into a statuette in the likeness of the late Autobot.

"Wheeljack." the crowd whispered the name.

"We carry him on our Sparks. Until all are one!" the table split and the charred remains were engulfed by the fire.

An hour later, a new pedestal stood on the graveyard with the statue of Wheeljack. Traditionally it would be just that, but the Wreckers requested a few modifications. In one hand, the statue had a sword stabbed on a dead Grindworm. The other hand was reaching up and holding a young human figure.

* * *

**7****th**** June 2039. ****26 Years and 217 days**** AE. (Five years later)**

**Mega Hive (Sydney), Australia.**

The sunset was eclipsed by the bulbous mass. The last bastion under control of the man once known as Rafael Esquivel. The last scraplet hive on the face of planet Earth and final battlefield of the campaign to resurrect humanity.

Five years ago, the Decepticon Imperium was debilitated and the Autobots took the opportunity to strike hard at the scraplet King. Fortunate favored the Autobots as the loss of the Alpha Hive and the sacrifice of a noble Wrecker allowed more humans to be rescued than they could count. With the Alpha Hive lost and the scraplet forces offline, the liberating forces swept through Australia with ease until the city of Sydney where Rafael had taken refuge. By the time the 'Bots geared up to invade Rafael's new seat of power, the Scraplet King was back online and, by extension, so were his myriads of soldiers.

The liberation campaign was cut short at the cusp of completion.

Soon after, the Decepticons came out of isolationism and launched attacks on the border. Optimus was forced to shift their attention to their ancient enemies. In the following five years of bitter battle and different turns, the Autobots managed to drive the Decepticons completely off the USA old territory. That victory allowed some leeway to focus back on completing the long-paused campaign to save the last hundreds of humans still in Rafael's clutches and end his madness for good. Today that campaign would end.

"I can see the target." the nineteen-year-old Riku declared, watching the colossal hive through his binoculars. "It's a big one, I have to give him that."

"Wasn't that big five years ago, I can tell you that." Lieutenant Smokescreen's optics zoomed in on the colossal hive. "Back when our scouts first reached this ground, this was just a Beta Hive - big scraplet cities with the infrastructure to maintain and replenish their numbers - Rafael was licking his wounds in here. When we turned back to the 'Cons he built defense systems on top of defense systems around this ball of hardened goop."

"There it is!" Riku smiled, spotting his target, a tubular structure sticking from the base of the hive and sinking in the ground. "There's my ticket in."

"A tube for waste disposal." Strongarm observed. "Not the most preferable way of infiltration."

"But the safest, I bet. Especially for a human."

Smokescreen looked behind him, from Strongarm to the rest of the Elite Guard force he brought along. The coming battle would be hardest, but it would all hinge on this team of graduated cadets, and more so on Riku.

And Smokescreen was expected to lead this operation.

As if on cue, he was contacted by Optimus. "_Smokescreen, is your team prepared to initiate our assault?_"

The Lieutenant gave a look to his team of five 'Bots, all highly trained in combat but still a bit green on the outdoors experience.

"As ready as we'll ever be, Optimus."

"_You have your target. We attack now. And good luck._"

"You, too." Smokescreen turned to the troops. "We're moving team. You all know the drill."

"Was that supposed to be a pun?" Riku asked, climbing up to the machine he would be driving. It was a modified mining drill to be operated by a human.

"No puns, partner."

* * *

**Manhattan, Ratchet's workshop.**

"The attack has begun." Ratchet watched his monitor with several video feeds of the starting battle. The Mega Hive was surrounded by the Autobot army, now firing on its sickly yellow shell.

The workshop had been refurbished to have enough space for the millions of carefully stacked human-sized stasis pods. Recently, Ratchet has made a breakthrough and believes he has invented an anti-toxin for the enslaved humans. When every human was safely in his care, he would begin trails.

Another person in the workshop hummed thoughtfully. "I don't like it."

Ratchet sighed and tried to sooth the companion. "This attack was planned on thorough intelligence. Have some faith."

"I still don't like it." Jack Darby growled. "My son is on a dangerous mission when I should be in his place!"

"Ep, ep, ep! You're not going anywhere until you are fully recovered and that's a doctor's order." Ratchet chided, pointing at Jack's bandaged leg. He had suffered an injury two weeks ago therefore Optimus forbade him from participating on this mission. "Just be glad you can guide him through, at least."

Jack being in Ratchet's workshop had two purposes: first, he would oversee the transport of rescued humans to the workshop. Second, he would be in constant contact with Riku and guide him through the inside of the Mega Hive based on the blueprints they had acquired.

Jack rolled his wheelchair to his makeshift working station with a computer and a communicator. "Riku, you there?"

* * *

"I'm here, dad. Ready to dig in." Riku powered up the drill. The human turned to his partner, whom was coordinating the assault on the hive's shell. They shared a thumbs-up.

"Don't make me go in and rescue you."

"Took the words out of my mouth, Smoke."

The spinning beak pointed downwards, throwing shard of metal all around. Riku was inside a protective cabin, though.

"I'm diggin in."

"_Great, just drill until you reach the tube and break in. Fair warning, it's gonna be gross._"

"Figures."

Riku was grateful for the sealed cabin he operated the drill in. The yellow goop's stench slipped in and he didn't dare to image the horror of taking a bath on the scraplet vomit. The drill transformed into a submarine and journeyed up against the current.

"Eww...where does this stuff go to, anyway?"

His dad supplied the answer. "_It's used to reinforce the walls in case the hive is under attack._"

"Shouldn't I sabotaged this?"

"_Negative. Your mission relies on you getting inside undetected. The attack outside is practically just a distraction to get Rafael's whole attention._"

He reached a chamber that received the goop from a number of other tubes. Another image not to be treasured.

"In at the goop chamber. Trying to hold onto my lunch."

"_There should be a passage you can crawl through._"

"I see it." he spotted a hole in the walls and guided the drill to float towards it. Next step was getting rid of all metal on his person and crawling deeper into the hive.

* * *

**Outside.**

"Optics and audio receptors sharp." Smokescreen said, looking around.

"Commander, I understand we are following our assignment to the letter but is just staying our position really the best we can do at this point?" Strongarm asked. Since Riku infiltrated the hive that his escorts remained where they were.

"We're not just playing sentinel, Strongarm." Smokescreen knew the rookie was one by the book, but underneath she was eager to prove herself. It was amusing how much he was once like that. "If this goes right, we might just win this battle without breaking in ourselves. And if Riku needs extraction, we got to be ready."

"Autobots!" every head turned to the source of the call out. A mech of gold and black stood tall with a small army of Beeterrors behind him.

"Scrap! I was hoping he wouldn't show." Smokescreen activated his blasters.

"You made a great mistake coming here!" Goldbug vociferated, warming up his fusion cannon. "Beeterrors, attack!"

* * *

**Half an hour later.**

**Inside the Mega Hive.**

"Measly Autobots, thinking they can invade our hive!" a Doctor Mantis sneered looking over a terminal. As the name implied, he resembled a praying mantis and was a caste of scientist workers. "No Cybertronian will ever enter our…"

His words died in his mandibles as an energon bolt pierced his head by the side. Riku sneaked out of a crevice, holding a gun made of plastic. He carried no metal save for his comm unit or the scraplets would pick up the scent. "How about a human?" he shoved the dead scraplet into the crevice and accessed the terminal.

"Found a data access. Searching for directions." he brought up a map of hive. "Hello!"

"_What is it?"_

"I just struck gold! A whole map, a layout of the hive, including a tiny access to the King's chamber."

"_Finally, luck is…bzzz…our si-bzzzz!_"

"Dad?" his ears were filled with static. "Scrap! Lost the signal."

He looked at the terminal and made a mental copy of the map. Before leaving he noticed a window opening with footage of the outside.

"Maybe luck still likes me. This is security footage. Maybe…" he noticed one of the windows that alarmed him. It showed the current state of Smokescreen and his team.

"Dad! Dad do you read me? You've got to warn the 'Bots! Smoke needs backup!" the comm was dead.

* * *

**Outside.**

Smokescreen's team was defeated, but not killed has they had believed. Goldbug had his Beeterrors immobilize them and putting them in a line on their knees. They were now prisoners of metal-eating monstrosities lead by a former fellow Autobot.

Goldbug went up to Smokescreen. An up-close look and Smoke saw a detail he had missed about his ex-compatriot. Around his neck, the General of scraplets carried a chain with a cybertronian head of a Decepticon. Barricade, an old enemy of Bumblebee whom caused the 'Bot much suffering. Following the destruction of Geneva, Bumblebee was lost to his group and alone. Injured, Barricade hunted him down and blinded him, leaving him for dead. That was how some scraplets found him and brought him to Rafael whom performed horrid experiments, transforming and brainwashing his friend into the mutant standing above him, now.

Goldbug had proven time and again that he was not, nor remembered of even being, Bumblebee. Taking the head of the nemesis he slaughtered as a trophy was just another proof.

"Spill it out, Autobot!"

"Spill what?" Smoke put on his best blank face, which got a fist on the left side, courtesy of his captor.

"Don't play dumb with me. Your forces were just standing here. Obviously, attacking the hive was not your goal like the rest of your kind are doing. What is your mission here?"

"Nothing much. It just seemed like a good place for some R&amp;R."

"Don't toy with me, lest you want to become one of my soldier's chow, _prisoner_."

"Prisoner? Have you looked yourself in the mirror?" Smoke spat. "My team and I are our own mechs and femmes. You're the prisoner here, to that lunatic, cross-wired you call 'majesty'."

A short stare down between the two ex-friends followed.

"If you're no prisoners…you are trophies." Goldbug didn't allow time to digest that. He promptly fired his fusion cannon, full power, into the Spark chamber of one of the Elite Guards.

"No!" Smokescreen gritted his dental. "Why did you do that, Bumblebee?!"

Goldbug replied with a fist to the jaw. "My name is Goldbug. Whoever this Bumblebee was, he's long gone! Now, you…" he dragged Strongarm out of the line of captives.

"Let her go, you scraplet! I'm leading this team. If you want someone, offline me!" those pleads/demands fell on deaf audio receptors. Strongarm casted a fearful look to her commanding officer and teammates before her Spark was snuffed in one point-blank blast to the chest.

"Damn you!"

"One last chance: tell me what your mission here is. Tell me and I'll spare you."

Smokescreen looked to his mechs. They were nervous, young, green, but brave to boot. It made his Spark wrench even more to know he was about to throw away their lives.

"Go to the Pit!"

"Not me, you are." Smokescreen was grabbed by the neck. In vain he struggled against Goldbug's steel solid grip. The executioner tossed him on the ground for the audience to see.

* * *

"No! Hell no!" Riku went into a frenzy, clicking all the buttons he could find. He tried to access the shell's weapons but was denied. All he could do was watch the outside like a dreadful horror movie.

To make matters worse, Smokescreen was looking to the hidden camera, right at him.

* * *

Maybe it was the prospect of about to be offlined, but Smokescreen had this feeling he would rather watch a seamless spot on the shell of the hive than his soon-to-be executioner.

"Long live the King."

He saw a flash of green. Then he saw no more.

* * *

Blood dripped sluggishly from the cuts on Riku's hand. A tear fell down on the smoking smashed terminal.

"_Bzzz…Riku! Son, do you copy?_"

No answer.

"_Riku, can you hear?!"_

That twinge of panic made him flinch slightly.

"_RIKU!"_

"…I'm here, dad."

"_We lost your signal for a while. Are you alright? Do you need extraction?_"

"I'm okay. I'm not a kid anymore." He replied icily. "I got the location of Rafael's chamber. It's an anti-metal safe place. The only way in is through a magnetize tube where nothing metal can make through. No 'Bot or 'Con could make it."

"Right…can you make it?"

"Hell yeah, I can!" there was nothing but conviction in Riku's tone. Only because he knew if he allowed himself to feel anything other than willpower, the rage and the grief would overwhelm him.

"_Son, you alright?"_

"…No, but I'll be when I finish this mission."

* * *

**Two hours later.**

**Approaching the King's chamber.**

A normal man would feel drained after all the running, dodging, sliding and sneaking Riku did to get where he was. A corridor where the walls were giant magnets that pushed, pulled and ripped apart any metal that dared walk through. Even the scraplets couldn't come there. At the end of the corridor was a human-sized passage. Beyond that was his goal.

"Show time." He whispered grimly.

The inside of the chamber was completely made out of yellow scraplet goop, not surprisingly. There were no advanced supercomputers, no life support systems that he would expect. The only evidence of technology was a man-sized tube filled with liquid at the center. Inside was what could be described as a deformed mummy.

"_Aren't you a gutsy one, you_." the voice didn't come from the boy, but from a machine Riku couldn't spot.

"I'm a lot of things, _uncle_."

"_Do not address the King in such manner! I know what you're after, boy. You're pretending to be my kin so you can take my throne!_"

Riku approached slowly. "You don't remember me, do you? Do you at least remember who you used to be? What your name was?"

"_I know who you are, alright. Another pretender, that's what. I'm surrounded by invaders, pretenders and traitors to the crown! I am the rightful King! I brought the people together. I saved them when they were lost!_"

"Saved them? That's what you've done for them. Turning them into mindless zombies gorged out on this scrap?" Riku kicked the yellow ground.

"_I am the King!"_

"You're a lunatic! You caused nothing but pain. You destroyed Bumblebee's soul. You brought the Night of Unicron and everyone who died then is on your head. My mom, Wheeljack…Smokescreen…" his voice shook up a bit. "So many suffered because of your madness! It's over."

"_Oh, you think you can arrest me, scoundrel? Me, the one true King_?"

"I came here to do just that. Because Optimus, deep down, still believes you don't deserve to die. He says that it's not your fault what you became. He told me I should try to take you alive, if possible. But the thing is, I can't carry you out of here, so option number 2 goes." He aimed the plastic gun at the head of the mummy. Though he believed a single shot on the stasis tube would be enough to kill the cadaver still clinging to life.

"_So that is it, isn't it?"_ the King spoke cool and quietly, so unlike the usual crazed yelling. _"You invade my kingdom, my castle, making demands and thinking what you say goes. Well, allow me to burst that bubble of yours. I am the King. What the King says, goes. And when the King goes…the kingdom goes with him!_"

An earthquake struck the entire hive. Riku felt a touch of dread. What happens when a man with no sense of rationality is backed into a corner?

"What did you do?"

"_If the King goes, the kingdom goes with him!_"

Cracks burst the walls, the air heated up and the shaking only knew to increase. Riku turned around and made a run for the exit.

"Dad, do you read me?"

"_Riku, what's going on in there? The 'Bots say the hive is…_"

"I think Rafael activated some self-destruct. I'm getting out of…" his words died in his mouth when he saw the inferno exploding from the end of the corridor and coming for him like a runaway bull herd. The last thing he felt was an abrasive heat.

* * *

**Ratchet's workshop.**

"Riku! Riku, come in." Jack shouted into the communicator, ignoring that enervating continuous chime the life monitor made.

"Jack…" Ratchet whispered softly.

"Don't 'Jack' me. I'm trying to talk to my son."

Ratchet looked up to the monitor that showed a flat-line and the life-signal lost. "Jack, I'm getting reports that the Mega Hive exploded. I'm sorry, but Riku is gone."

No response came from the man, whose eyes were frozen to the monitor. Ratchet couldn't see his face, the look of a man who had lost everything that pushed him to keep on moving.

A beeping alarm pulled the medic attention backwards to the stacked stasis pods. He wondered what was happening. The humans couldn't be waking up, the pods kept them in a cryogenic sleep. He opened one up and his confusion turned to horror.

"…Primus!"

* * *

**Five hours later.**

**Empire State Building, New York.**

The small compartment was meant for small meetings, none of those major rooms for major decision making. The only occupants were Optimus and Ratchet. The latter sat at a table with a downcast face. The former looked out the window to the setting sun. The medic, tired of the silence, addressed his friend in a heavy, exhausted tone.

"Optimus, we…"

"We failed. The battle was won but the war was lost." Optimus uttered, his voice feeling like he had toiled harshly for a hundred stellar cycles straight.

"Optimus, you couldn't have known. Rafael's plan was fiendish. If I had done more thorough scans I would have…"

"We all failed. I have failed to keep a promise I once made to June Darby. I failed Miko, Rafael…and now Jack." Optimus took a pause. "How is he dealing?"

"He…he says he quits. When Riku…he stormed off declaring he was done fighting this war. That there was no point for him to continue. Arcee went to talk to him. She says he's even planning to leave New York."

"He is not wrong. There is nothing for him to fight for. His family and humanity…" Optimus closed his optics, making another short pause. "How did it happened?"

"It appears Rafael was backed into a corner and chose to end himself. He triggered the power core of the Mega Hive to explode. Riku was close by, right at the center of the blast. He had Rafael perished. As for humanity, I later discovered the sludge that Rafael fed them was laced with nanites, programmed to explode should he die. None of the humans I had in stasis was spared." He clenched his fists feeling nothing but self-loath. What kind of self-entitled doctor doesn't see that his patients in stasis were _poisoned_?

"Then humanity is…" Optimus left that hanging.

"Yes." Ratchet spoke like he was trying to spit out something painful in his throat. "As far as we know, Jack is the last living human."

"What of Goldbug?"

Ratchet shook his head. "He went offline along with all scraplets when Rafael died."

A longer pause followed. Ratchet didn't see it but Optimus' fists clenched. Finally he spoke with his calm but sorrowful baritone. "We lost a war. We must battle more to be certain we don't lose another. Megatron still stands and the fight will never stop until he falls.

"Now, please leave me, old friend."

Wordlessly, Ratchet did as told. He too could use some time alone. Maybe repairing his tools again would do him good…

When the doors closed, Optimus' left fist punched a crater in the wall. He then proceeded to fall to his knees and punch another dent on the floor.

* * *

**Five hours Ago.**

"_Riku, what's going on in there? The 'Bots say the hive is…_"

"I think Rafael activated some self-destruct. I'm getting out of…" his words died in his mouth when he saw the inferno exploding from the end of the corridor and coming for him like a runaway bull herd. The last thing he felt was an abrasive heat.

And time froze.

A short figure shrouded in a black hood walked casually to the young man. A hand placed on Riku's shoulder.

"You flew too close to the sun. But your wings are not to burn yet. Not while I still need you to fly at least one last time."

Time continued after the pair vanished from Universe XIII.

* * *

Riku's story continues in a coming-up short story named '**My Transformers Multiverse'**. It was my big brother's suggestion. Just two more chapters and this one is closed.

I know this chapter will get a lot of good and bad responses. Good because I'm not totally gone; bad because I never killed so many main characters in one chapter. Hope you don't flame me more than I deserve.


	27. Chapter 27

It is finally here, the second-to-last chapter. Next I close this story and possibly Universe XIII with an epilogue to tie up some loose ends, though some will be left more or less loose. The best way to finish a good story is to not finish it entirely.

* * *

**Ruins of Ristvak'baen (former Decepticon citadel)**

**3****rd**** March 2060. 48 years and 1 day AE. (21 Years later)**

Arcee sped through the familiar road to what once was Jasper, Nevada. All that was left of the capital of the Decepticon Imperium was in ruins. Following the end of Rafael and the Scraplets, years ago, the Autobots turned their heads back to the Decepticons whose hold on their territory was weakened. After much battling, the 'Cons were driven off old U.S.A. territory. Now their seat of power was what used to be China. Although the cities in the East coast were occupied by Autobot forces to oversee the boarder, this place was never settled after it was levelled by a small army of 'Bot combiners.

The two-wheeler avoided the debris littering the street and stopped by the only structure that was mostly undamaged. It was a human house put together from massive debris. A true Frankenstein building, but lookedsturdy.

Arcee transformed and knocked at the door gently. Twenty seconds passed and there was no answer. She knocked again more soundly and called out:

"Don't pretend I'm not here. You're not old enough to be going deaf."

The door opened and a grumpy-looking human exited. His face was showing signs of rapid wrinkling and hair graying. The man, whom had been in excellent physical condition decades ago, looked to be in his mid-sixties and way past his prime. Nonetheless, he glared defiantly to the femme in the optics.

"What do you want, Arcee?"

"You didn't return my call, so I figured I should come by and visit. Happy birthday, old man." The answer she got was an irritated growl.

"What reason could there be to be happy about growing old? Go back to New York and leave me alone. I was resting."

"Thanks for the warm reception, partner." Arcee threw at him, heavy on the sarcasm. "I also came here to check on you."

"I was doing just fine before you knocked at my door. Now, have a nice day." He turned around and walked back inside.

"Were you? Are you 'just fine' living here like a hermit? Jack, you still have a family back in the capital. Please, come back to us."

"I left that city and that part of my life behind me. As far as I'm concerned, I have no family." and he slammed the door shut.

She sighed with a heavy Spark. That went as well as all the other tries she gave in the last 20 years. Defeated, she transformed and drove away from the home of the last human.

* * *

**Karvatron, Decepticon Capital.**

Things were busy in the Decepticon city of Karvatron – word for 'vendetta' in an ancient Kaon dialect – as they always were since it became the capital of the Imperium. Fourteen stellar cycles ago, the citadel of Ristvak'baen fell and their hold on the western territory of what used to be the U.S.A. degraded. Megatron reluctantly ordered a retreat to the eastern Asia where the Imperium had settled several bases and small cities. That was a loss that was still biting the Decepticons, for the territory they still have is nowhere near as well supplied as their old holdings. Karvatron was a far cry from Ristvak'bean and it wouldn't reach the necessary capacity for another five stellar cycles. Because of that, the inhabitant Decepticons were always in a hurry to accomplish their jobs as fast as possible and increase efficiency. Something they knew well their Lord expected.

Speaking of the devil, the massive fighter jet flew to a tower and transformed. On the terrace of the tower was Shockwave typing on a computer. A spacebridge opened and the pair unceremoniously walked through it. That was a personal spacebridge, one that was not connected to the nexus and therefore, its coordinates were private.

* * *

**Undisclosed location.**

The pair walked into a wide, deep cavern. At the end there was a party of technicians working on computers. The leader of the operation was a relatively small 'Con named HighWire, whom bowed to them.

"Lord Megatron."

"How fare your attempts, HighWire?"

"The same as always, unfortunately, my liege. I can't break through its defenses. The system itself evolves and adapts against any attempt of hacking it."

Megatron glowered. "That will not do."

"Fortunately I believe I have found a loophole. One that we can exploit…" when he was done explaining, Megatron made his way to the long-distance comm terminal:

"Soundwave, do you receive? I have a mission for you."

* * *

**Earth's orbit.**

Soundwave awoke from his semi-stasis – a state that allowed him to filter the data he acquired while also wasting very little energy – by that call.

"_Soundwave, do you receive? I have a mission for you_."

The spymaster replied in text affirmatively.

"_You are to locate the human Jackson Darby. We are arranging a mission to acquire him_."

Not for a moment did he wondered why his leader would want the human for. Soundwave's parts shifted so he could have a better vision of the planet. Recently, Soundwave had been tasked with collecting every bit of information, everything and anything he could get from the enemy. For that, he changed his alt-mode to a Cybertronian spy-satellite and kept a constant focus on the Autobot territory. He has been undetected in space ever since.

Immediately he set to the task. The human hadn't been seen in the field since the fall of the self-entitled Scraplet King. It was first assumed he had perished, then he occasionally heard about him in communication between Arcee and others. Soundwave had no record of the man's location, but if he was alive, Arcee would know. He proceeded to filter through everything he had on Arcee's movements, every place she drive or walk to, on duty or otherwise. It was only a matter of time before he figured why she'd go to the ruins of the fallen citadel. The human was there, and most gratifying was, there was no surveillance nor security on those parts. It was an opened space in the heart of Autobot territory.

He transmitted the data to Megatron and continued his quiet contemplation.

* * *

**Later.**

**Nevada-Arizona frontier.**

Arcee sped down the solitary road. In her time off she liked to travel alone until she found a peaceful spot to rest her engine. Decades before she used to do this with her partner, whether he was human or Autobot.

"_Arcee, do you read?_"

"Loud and clear, Optimus."

"_Outpost Sigma 957 believes they detected a Decepticon flying over the ruins of Ristvak'baen. Go investigate._" The thought of a Decepticon being so deep into Autobot territory was preposterous. Then again, Outpost Sigma 957 was one of those solitary posts in the middle of nowhere. Probably the 'Bots stationed there were bored and thought they saw some 'Con.

But there was a tone of urgency on the Prime that made her energon run cold. She made a sharp U turn and sped back to the ruined city. She knew the first place to check out. On the way she kept telling herself it was a false alarm.

"No!" the two-wheeler cried out when she reached Jack's house. The ceiling had a large hole for a 'Bot to fit in. The owner of the house was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**Karvatron.**

"One human in a jar, as ordered!" Skywarp gleefully handed a container holding Jack Darby to Megatron.

"Jack Darby, it has been some time. More for you than for me, I would say." The warlord held the container to optic-level to look at the human, who reciprocated the look, hatefully. The Decepticon had to wonder how such an ephemeral thing as a human could be so necessary. Megatron never forgets a face; he still remembered vividly the face of Jack Darby when he was a boy. Such little time had passed and the human was nearing old age.

"Shove it, Buckethead! Just spill out what you want, already. If you're hoping for a ransom, you can forget it. I'm out of the game and the 'Bots know it."

Megatron stopped his musings: "That remains to be seen. However, the reason for you being here in my hand is that we require you for a matter of…tech support. But first you are going on a field trip. One I know will make you feel quite nostalgic." With his infamous shark smirk, Megatron nodded and an operative activated a bridge portal. Megatron crossed over with Jack. The man's heart skipped a beat when he saw where he was taken.

* * *

**Cybertron, Kaon city.**

"Welcome back to Cybertron. More specifically to my old stomping grounds, Kaon." Megatron spoke almost conversationally as he walked. "I am certain you remember the last time you travelled these roads."

The human gave no reply. Indeed he recalled the first time he journeyed to his planet and the reason for it. In Arcee's company and protection, he travelled to Vector Sigma in an attempt to get the Matrix of Leadership downloaded to help a then-amnesic Optimus Prime.

"What's this about Megatron?" he finally asked only for the warlord to be the one non-responsive, this time. Jack didn't show it, but the apprehension grew as the tyrant walked through the same path he and Arcee once did. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a large cavern opening on a place he knew very well.

"How…"

"It was an arduous endeavor to discover the entrance of Vector Sigma. For stellar cycles I had every area-nik of my city rigorously scanned for any secret passages or hidden chambers. At last, we uncovered it, the entrance to the mythical Vector Sigma."

"But you couldn't have entered without the Key."

Megatron gave him the smirk. "We did not bother to try to open the door. We simply tear it down."

After a silent walk in the darkness, they reached the chamber where Vector Sigma, the legendary super-computer rested. There were Decepticon workers all over, and bossing them was one Jack didn't recognize. He looked like a technician rather than a soldier, judging by his small size.

"HighWire, is everything prepared?"

"Yes, my liege. The moment we get a breakthrough, we'll have it all."

"Good. Here is the 'key' you requested." Megatron handed him the container. The human was fed up with the secrecy:

"What are you up to Megatron?"

With a modest shrug, Megatron explained while HighWire plugged several cables to the container.

"If you must know, HighWire has been attempting to hack into Vector Sigma. The super-computer holds more than the memory of the Primes. It's a memory bank of all Cybertronian history of science and technology. Within it are locked secret of weapons and powers that have been lost to time. Yet, despite HighWire's and Soundwave's joint efforts…"

"…they couldn't access Vector Sigma without the Key. It was destroyed along with Unicron." What Megatron never learnt was that the original Key was destroyed with the Autobot base soon after the cyberforming of Earth. The Key used against the Chaos Bringer was brought from the future.

"HighWire learnt that Vector Sigma records a life-print of every being that accesses it. Therefore that same being may later be granted access even if they don't carry the Key, anymore."

"No."

"Yes. You entered Vector Sigma once, which makes you a living key, now."

"I'll never help you, Buckethead!" Jack shouted as he was scanned.

"I never said I required your help. I merely said I required you."

HighWire finished the scanning the human with a device plugged to Vector Sigma. He went for a terminal where a bar was loading.

"Yes! We have access, my liege. We…" the 'Con's triumph was cut short when the monitor turned red and symbols began pouring in.

"What is this, HighWire?" Megatron was not pleased. He was no computer genius, but it was plain to see his path to victory had another roadblock. HighWire quickly analyzed the data.

"Vector Sigma doesn't allow entrance because the key is unwilling. It's not enough that we use the human, he must be willing to give us entrance."

Megatron turned to Jack, who glared hatefully in retaliation. Megatron smirked.

"Do your worse, Buckethead. You'll never break me."

"Oh, it's not my worse you will be contending with." Megatron picked him up and brought him to a separate chamber, one where a more massive and blockier Decepticon was working. "It will be his."

Jack couldn't hide the chill that went up his spine as he came under the light of Shockwave's optic.

* * *

**Autobot HQ.**

"We have sent a message to the Decepticon Imperium demanding Jack to be returned to us. They gave us no response." Optimus stated to the only other 'Bot in the private meeting. "I have ordered our spies to listen for anything regarding a human prisoner."

Arcee was the sole other occupant of the room. She leaned on a corner, quiet save for occasional mumbles:

"Couldn't be for ransom, or else they…maybe for revenge?..."

"Arcee, we will find him and bring him back home. Jack is our family."

"He says different, Optimus. He said today he has no family."

"We will bring him back, Arcee. I vow to you."

The femme looked him in the optic. Optimus believed if she was capable, she would be shedding tears. "Optimus, honestly you promise too many things and try too hard to keep those promises. Count the dead. How many of our family have we lost? Riku, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, June, Miko, Wheeljack, Smokescreen, Raf." She hugged herself. "I should have known it was coming. We always loose everyone, eventually. Better be prepared when it's Ratchet's turn, or Magnus'…or yours."

She vacated the room without another word. Optimus, alone, left his own anguish show in his faceplates:

"_Primus, I have failed every other human but Jack. Please, Primus, do not allow me to fail him as well_."

* * *

**4th March 2060. 48 years and 2 days AE.**

_Warmth and peace were shattered by bad sounds. He didn't like the loud, bad sounds. He cried._

…

…

Flesh was on fire.

…

…

_A quiet cry came from the kitchen. The door was narrowly opened. He made his entrance and there was mom, shocked to see him, with tears streaming down her face. She tried to wipe them but, too late. He asked what was wrong._

_She confessed her income was barely enough to pay the house and the hospital was gonna go through some cuts. Young Jack hugs her and promises he will help out, in any way he can._

…

…

Everything was pain.

…

…

"_Jack!"_

_His mother was tied up and at Airachnid's mercy. He didn't stop running, his muscles were fed with equal quantities of adrenaline and fear. If he didn't get to her within the time limit of Airachnid's sick little game._

"_Hurry now, Jack." The Decepticon's voice resonated through the night. Though she was nowhere in sight it felt like the sadistic spider was right beside him._

…

…

His throat was too sore to continue screaming.

…

…

_The glass was all that separated him from death by suffocation. But all he could do was witness as the beam of light raised into the spacebridge portal._

_"Such raw power!" Megatron marveled at. "What should I call my new domain? New Kaon? Or perhaps, Killed Earth?" he added derisively._

_"No!" he punched the glass._

_"Leave our planet alone!" Miko cried out._

_The Decepticons laughed maniacally at their triumph. Despair gripped Jack's heart._

…

…

While his body cried out, images kept flashing before his brain and eyes.

…

…

_Arcee threatened to beat him if he didn't go home and rested. Though his muscles were sore and tired, his brain wouldn't get any sleep. They still had no idea where Miko and Riku were and if it were up to him, he would continue searching the capi…_

_His drowsy train of thought derailed when he opened the door to see his son passed out in sleep and his woman with a broken neck. Disbelief, shock, horror and then grief washed over the man as he fell on his knees._

…

…

Heavy footsteps became increasingly louder.

…

…

_"_Dad, do you read me?" spoke Riku on the radio.

_"Riku, what's going on in there? The 'Bots say the hive is…"_

_"_I think Rafael activated some self-destruct. I'm getting out of…_" his words died._

_"Riku! Riku, come in." Jack shouted into the communicator, ignoring that enervating continuous chime the life monitor made._

_"Jack…" Ratchet whispered softly._

_"Don't 'Jack' me. I'm trying to talk to my son."_

_Ratchet looked up to the monitor that showed a flat-line and the life-signal lost. "Jack, I'm getting reports that the Mega Hive exploded. I'm sorry, but Riku is gone."_

…

…

Shockwave pulled the lever downwards and the electricity stopped. Yet the pain and the visions didn't all go away, immediately. A raspy voice sounded muffled at first:

"…ack. Ready to surrender?" a blurry Megatron's face filled his field of vision.

"Go…to hell." Jack's shout was weary and lacking of oxygen. Megatron was unimpressed, both with the answer and its weakness.

"Shockwave's invention is quite nefarious, I admit. Every shock brings forth the darkest memories that haunt the victim. The culmination of physical and mental torture. We'll see how long it will take to break you." Megatron turned to the scientist and ordered him to prepare another shocking session. "I cannot imagine how many hours, days or weeks you think has passed during the last session, so let me enlighten you. It was less than five Earth minutes."

Electricity surged and Jack was again swallowed by the visions and silent screams. All while Megatron watched with a neutral face, hiding a malevolent glee below the surface.

* * *

**7th March 2060. 48 years and 5 days AE.**

**New York.**

Optimus passed a servo over his weary optics. The gesture didn't pass unnoticed under Ratchet's sight.

"You require a power down, Optimus. You show signs of stress and fatigue."

"Finding Jack is our top priority…" The Autobot leader prepared a counter-argument, but the medic was away ahead of him.

"And exhausting yourself to the point of stasis won't do you or him any good. Now as your chief medical officer, I'm ordering you to rest. I'm inducing power down."

Optimus let the back of his helmet rest on the berth he lied upon. When Ratchet demanded his patients to rest, there was no arguing with him.

"This should allow your systems to rest and clear the hallucinations you're complaining about." Ratchet pressed a few more buttons to the frame which was plugged into the back of Optimus' neck. The Prime fell into unconsciousness instantly. Ratchet dropped his rigid medical exterior and sighed. His old friend had come to the medical hall in concern of some hallucinations he was having. Visions of strange blurry sights that he never saw before and screams.

"Rest now."

Inside the mind of the Prime, the hallucinations didn't cease. To the contrary, they came more vividly than before. Memories that he now recognized as human, some of people he knew very well and a few others where he himself was present. Each and every one was dreadful.

Then there was something different. He saw a dark place and before him was the face of his sworn-enemy.

"MEGATRON!" Optimus woke up with a scream. Ratchet was startled and tried to appease the patient. "I know where Jack is!"

"Optimus, you're in a state of shock! You don't know what…"

"I know with all my Spark where he is and why. We must bring him back, now!" Ratchet was taken aback at how exalted the usually stoic mech was.

"Optimus…"

The Prime put a finger to his audio receptor. "Arcee, put together an assault and rescue team. We are bringing back our friend."

"Wait." Optimus halted when he felt the medic's hand on his shoulder. When he looked at the smaller mech, there was a steely determination in his optics. "Put me on that team. We're bringing our friend home."

* * *

**Back on Vector Sigma.**

"Why do you keep resisting? You have no reason to."

Over time the pauses between torture sessions became more extended. Those periods were filled with conversations with Megatron. Mostly one-sided conversations on the 'Con's part.

"Fuck off, Megatron." There was none of the initial fire and hate. The days of torture had taken their toll. The last human wasn't just exhausted, he was sick. In three days he had lost weight, his heartbeat was dangerously low. Megatron for more than once considered having Knock Out fix him. It wouldn't do if the 'key' expired before he was granted access to Vector Sigma. But he felt it wasn't necessary; the human was about to break.

"You have nothing, Jack Darby." Megatron continued. "You haven't had a reason to fight this war for over 20 stellar cycles. Oh, yes, I know." He said when Jack tried to look up. "Why else would you have become a recluse for that long? Why else hasn't your son appeared or been heard of? Your race, your comrades, your offspring are all gone. Why should you fight a war that wasn't yours, any longer? And don't attempt to lie to me. I am the leader of the Decepticons. I know deception when I see it."

"Because of you." Jack whispered.

"Indeed, but does it change the facts that you are alone? No."

"I still…"

"Don't say you still fight to overcome tyranny. That is what Primes do and I recollect the Matrix of Leadership judged you unfit to be one."

That blow had struck home, as humans used to say. Megatron knew he was close.

"Your family is nothing more than dust, now. You are the last of your kind. Don't you want to join them? To be there, by their side? You own nothing more to the Autobots. You fought their war. And they can't come to your rescue. I can promise you a quick, painless demise. Put an end to this tragic story."

Jack Darby could only perceive two things. One was the endless string of bad memories still echoing in his ears. The other was Megatron's voice and how truthful and alluring it sounded. The endless sea of bad remembrances he was drowned in made him all but forget the better times. A promise made decades ago was forgotten when he pronounced:

"I surrender."

It almost felt peaceful knowing the end had come. A numbness that after the ordeal he'd been through felt like heaven. Every other feeling was ignored such as Megatron roughly grabbing him and taking him back to HighWire. All he had to do was be willing to enter Vector Sigma and it would all be finally over. He closed his eyes as the ancient computer scanned him again.

"It worked. It worked!" HighWire shouted. "We have full access, my liege."

"Finally." Megatron felt that familiar sensation of impending victory. But first, one last loose end to tie. "You have fulfilled your purpose. And unlike what most say, Megatron keeps his promises." He aimed the cannon at Jack, whom uncaringly awaited oblivion. Today, the extermination of mankind would be finalized.

What followed was too fast for Megatron to register, at first. A spacebridge opened right on top of them and a squadron of Autobots came out, including Optimus, the two-wheeler Arcee, the medic Ratchet and Ultra Magnus. The Prime leaped at Megatron and the two stood face to face, blade to blade. Megatron was baffled; how did his enemies discovered this operation? He had taken extreme measures to keep it secretive. No warriors had been posted, the working staff was kept to a minimum. Even the spacebridge he used was secret! How do these Autobots always keep foiling his victories?!

"Optimus, I don't know how you discovered my operation, but you are too late. I have conquered Vector Sigma and all its knowledge is being transmitted to my archives." Megatron taunted.

"I did not come here to frustrate your plans, for once, Megatron. I am here for a friend."

Meanwhile, Arcee only had eyes for the container were her partner was. "Jack!" she went to get him after punching HighWire into stasis. "By the AllSpark, Jack!" she lamented over the sickly state she saw her old partner.

There was a flash of purple behind her. She turned to see Shockwave battling against Ultra Magnus. On that moment, she knew. She knew who had done this to Jack. Without thinking, she ran to the cyclops scientist.

"SHOCKWAVE!"

The scientist, who had just landed a shot on the Commander's shoulder, turned around. Too late, as the femme wildly leaped and sliced his head off with her blades! The heavy body fell over as the one-optic head rolled over.

"That was for Jack!" she crushed the head with her foot.

The Commander looked baffled for a second that the infamous Decepticon was offlined. "Arcee, recover Jack!"

She did so, taking the glass container in her hands. No longer plugged to Vector Sigma, the process stopped and the super-computer closed once again. She nodded to Optimus, who announced.

"We have what we came for. Spacebridge, now!" he quickly disengaged from Megatron. By the skin of their dental struts, they escape a fusion shot from the warlord, who roared in fury.

* * *

**New York. Red Alert Memorial Hospital.**

"No, Arcee. You are not entering this room." Ratchet practically shouted. Arcee was vehemently demanding to accompany Jack into the medical room, but the chief doctor would have none of it.

"That is my partner you're talking about! His life is in danger!"

"Precisely. Then let me save him by not interfering!" those words sounded much harsher than he meant, but now was not the time for kindness.

A heavy hand rested on Arcee's shoulder. Just one look from Optimus was enough to make her give in. Ratchet took the hint and hurried into the room to try and save their last human friend.

Arcee sighed. She felt angry enough to want to punch something. Instead she asked something that had been bugging her.

"Optimus, how did you know that Jack was…" she clenched her fist and reformed the question. "…on Cybertron?"

The answer wasn't immediate.

"It was the Key to Vector Sigma."

"But that was destroyed along with Unicron." She retorted.

"The physical key was merely a vessel. Its power is pure energy and can never be destroyed. It can only transform. When the vessel was destroyed, its energy was transferred to the two chosen life-forms: Jack and Riku. Thus, they both became living 'Keys' of sorts. And because Jack once accessed Vector Sigma with the original key, that reinforced his connection with Vector Sigma."

"So that's why the 'Cons wanted him! But that still doesn't explain how you knew."

"Jack once used the Key to find me in Australia, because the key allows one to communicate with any Prime. Therefore, with him being a living key, I was able to communicate with him."

"So we were only able to rescue Jack because of some dumb luck." Her sigh was one of exasperation. "If you need me, I'll be in the sparring field."

Optimus felt sorry for whoever was paired up to spar with her.


	28. Chapter 28

**Red Alert Memorial Hospital, New York.**

**8th March 2060. 48 years and 6 days AE.**

Ratchet looked from the berth, where Jack lied, to Optimus and Arcee. With a sorrowful look, he sighs:

"He suffers from severe burnt organ tissue, including the neural system and the heart."

Arcee looked to the man hooked up to so many Cybertronian machines adapted for human patients. Ratchet had built most of them during the campaigns on Australia, but never disposed of them after its tragic end.

"But you can fix that, right?" she practically pleaded. She had had a bad feeling since Ratchet called them both on such a short notice. Her Spark shattered in two when the medic shook his downcast head.

"I fear his condition is fatal."

"No." despite being smaller than him, she managed to grab Ratchet by the shoulders and pulled him to her eye-level. "You're a medic. You can't let him die!"

"Arcee," he gently pried himself off her grip. "he is already dying."

"Ar…Arcee…"

"Jack!" she hurried to the bedside. "I'm here, partner."

"I know...you are" He murmured, raising his voice was too painful. "You were right."

"About what?"

"I still have a family." In the middle of all the pain, she could swear he made a shadow of a smile. "…You got me out…thanks for everything…partner." He lifted his hand, arduously to meet Arcee's. The femme accepted the gesture, even if her insides felt like being torn apart.

"Y-you're welcome, partner." Her voice faltered for a moment.

"Optimus…" Jack called out next. The Prime remained silent as the dead to allow the two partners their farewell. He approached slowly giving time for Arcee to step back, something she was reluctant to do. "Optimus…I need…a favor."

"I promise, old friend, if it is in my power, I will do it."

"Please, promise me…you'll rebuild…the Omega Lock." The request caught everyone surprised or confused.

"Why?"

"Vector Sigma told me…showed me…things… secrets. The Omega Lock…can reverse any…cyberforming…and restore the world."

Every optic in the room widened.

"But how?" Ratchet stammered. "The Omega Lock was damaged and forgotten. And its technology is far too advanced…"

"The Forge of Solus Prime." The Prime said. The Forge, one of the last surviving relics of the Primes, had been undisturbed in the Autobots' grasp since the cyberforming of Earth. Optimus had decided to leave locked up as a last resort. "If I restore the Omega Lock, we can undo what Megatron has done."

Jack had a sudden fit of coughing with blood mixed in. When it ceased, he looked over everyone. "We had…quite a ride, hu?...Optimus… when I was there…I gave up…I surrendered. I thought…there was nothing to fight for."

Another coughing fit, this time worse. Jack could feel a coldness going up his legs. His limbs lost all strength and didn't move anymore.

"I was wrong…don't make my mistake. Team Prime…never, never, never give up."

"Rest and know that Earth and humanity will live again."

They remained with Jack for how long it took. One, two, three hours, they didn't know or care. At last, the darkness came and the last human passed away.

* * *

**Earth Year 2092 (32 years later.)**

**Jasper, Nevada. Universe XIII.**

**(A.N.: Please, read chapter 1 of 'My Transformers Multiverse')**

Two beings appeared in the desert, cut by a straight road. One of them was human, albeit with some genetic enhancements. The other was the most powerful being in Universe XIII, its Monitor.

The Monitor looked from the blue sky to the brown earth. A bird flew by. Under his hood, XIII frowned.

"Looks like the Autobots worked around the clock to restore this worthless rock." were he not forbidden to interfere with mortals for the next 3 million years, he would have never allowed it. He looked back to the human, whom was paralyzed in time.

"Welcome back home, Riku Darby." XIII made sure to erase all the memories the human had following his near death in the Mega Hive more than 50 years ago. "I would wish you not to squander your second chance at life, but I know you're just as ungrateful as everyone else."

The Monitor vanished and Riku ceased being a living statue. Giving the last thing he remembered was being consumed by fire was natural he was startled and almost fell on his back.

"Uh? What the?! Where am I?" he looked at his surroundings. A blue, cloudless sky above a dry land with no metal sight. The only sign of civilization was the road. He tried his comm-link only to receive static.

"How did I get from Rafael's chamber to here?" a dreadful thought occurred to him, remembering years ago the time he interacted with his estranged uncle. "Oh, damn it! Don't tell me I'm on an alternate Earth."

He walked towards the road, looking from one end to the other. It was his best chance to find help, hopefully soon. His silent prayers were heard as the sound of a speeding engine was heard. Riku looked to one end of the road, a black motorcycle becoming more distinguishable. He waved a hand for the driver to see. None had taught him the signal to ask for a ride, ever. It was no shocker that the motorcycle passed him by.

He groaned in frustration. Then, to his surprise, the motorcycle slowed down, made a U turn and sped back towards him. The rider was a female and Riku mentally prepared himself for a possible confrontation. The attention he got might have not be friendly.

"Riku?!"

"How do know my name?" he blinked. "Wait, I know that voice."

The driver disappeared in a small burst of pixels and the black motorcycle transformed.

"Arcee!"

* * *

**Year 50 Million D.C.**

**Earth.**

The dust of the desert flew in the strong wind. But it did nothing to deter the two humans present. One adult seemingly in his prime and a younger man approaching adulthood. They were paleontologists; the teacher and his apprentice. And why did the harsh desert climate didn't affect them? Because these humans were both 10-feet-tall giants!

"Are you sure what we're looking for even exists, master?"

"As certain as the dust beneath our feet, young one."

The adult one laid a hand on the side of a rocky mountain. The young one was still skeptical:

"I still have my doubts that a primitive human such as him could have existed."

"My boy," the adult replied. "I was around before your forefathers and foremothers discovered immortality. For the last 50 million years I have studied and dug up the remains of our so-called primitive antecessors that everyone else forgot they existed. I know he existed as well. I know because he was my antecessor."

The young one was left baffled by the revelation. The adult one shoved his opened hand into the rock, breaking it with ease. He moved his hand around for a while until he pulled it out with a chunk of solid rock in his grasp. Embedded in the rock was a fossilized skeleton.

"Behold!" the adult human was euphoric, but held the fossil like a treasured son. "After all this time, the legendary Riku Darby, the child born amongst robots sees the light of day again."

"Frankly, I don't think he's seeing much of anything. _Seeing_ as he lacks eyeballs." The young one commented with a grin which annoyed the master.

"This is a great moment for me. Don't spoil it with your damn puns!"

After a while, the two walked unperturbed by the wind that became a sand storm. The apprentice inquired:

"Master, if the legends regarding your antecessor are true, then he was infused with the energy of the Key to Vector Sigma, correct?"

"Indeed. As was his father. Unfortunately, that drama-queen Optimus Prime had his body cremated. I'm a great paleontologist, but I wasn't about to search the planet for a billion of ash particles." The master paleontologist looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, my great-great-great-great-grandmother studies alien technologies, particularly Cybertronian technology. She and her team are attempting to recreate the Key to Vector Sigma, but without the energy of the original one…"

"Absolutely not!" the master growled. "No one is using my discovery to fuel their little science projects. End of discussion."

"But…"

"End of discussion! Was I clear?" the master glared at the student who wisely gave up.

* * *

**Year 8 billion AD.**

**Techno-Jungle Planet.**

The Techno-Angel's tentacles held the tiny metal device. Forged from Cybertronian alloys and containing the energy drained from a fossilized corpse was a perfect replica of the Key to Vector Sigma. In the present time it was useless given that Vector Sigma no longer existed. But it was to the past this Key was meant for.

And to think this replica would never have been crafted if the Techno-Angel's own eccentric antecessor hadn't had a fixation for digging up old bones.

* * *

It is done! And with this epilogue, the cicle is closed and the major mysteries left foggy were unveiled. The creation of the Key to Vector Sigma of the future is a time loop. The energy to create it came from the Riku's body, who in turn got it from the Key.

The origins and motivations of the Techno-Angels are also fully revealed. The reason why they wanted to stop Unicron in the past not only because he would give them trouble in their future, but because he would destroy their past: humanity! As this short epilogue alludes to, the Techno-Angels are the descendants of humans in the far future. Looks like despite Monitor XIII's callous nature towards mortals, he didn't wipe out humanity all over again.


	29. My thoughts

Hello to all my readers and first I'd like to thank you all for sticking with me so far. All that Remains came out different than I predicted at the beginning. And nowhere near as long. I blame it on my life problems and laziness.

Now, onto my thoughts on the story, they are very mixed. The first half (up until chapter 13), I wouldn't change a thing. It's perfectly integrated into the Transformers mythos, though granted I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject.

Chapter 13 marks some changes to the human row of characters. Riku is now an active kid and Rafael is an outcast. I did this to spread a bit more of drama, seeing as keep killing major characters would get stale. So I made Rafael into a lunatic as consequence of his messing with scraplets. Yet after all this time I regret it for two reasons:

One, I think the story could have been much richer if Raf was still a member of Team Prime. Instead I just went ahead and took away another of the good guys. But don't get me wrong, 'All that Remains' was always meant to be about tragedy and loss. Two, the original chapters of the alternate Earths Riku travels through were about alternate Universes where the Transformers weren't even spoke of. I felt I was drifting away from a Transformers story into a Cartoon X-over, that added to the introduction of an OC was enough to make the story almost unrecognizable to me. So I changed the alternate Earths into alternate TFPrime Universes, and thus the idea of a TF Multiverse that incorporated my other stories was born. Which turned out pretty good for future stories, in my opinion.

Overall, I think Raf made a poor choice of villain for the near end of the story. He was only entertaining while his old friends hesitated to fight him, but on the final battle everyone had lost such inhibitions. I should have put Rafael down and introduced another enemy.

Now, as for Riku's character, I feel his development was…for a lack of better term, in leaps. Which would be natural given the story takes several leaps in time. I don't think Riku's growth or evolution was too rushed, just that it might have done some good for the character if he staid a kid for a bit longer. It's not major damage, however. If I re-open Universe XIII and develop Riku's story, I'll add a few flashbacks of his life as a kid/teenager.

Another problem, perhaps the biggest one was all the massive killing. I don't regret killing main characters, like I said before 'All that Remains' is about tragedy. But I noticed at the end that character death was overused. Hell, in chapter 26 I killed Wheeljack, Smokescreen and Strongarm just to reduce the surviving Team Prime further and because I had no purpose for Smokescreen since his partner was about to be removed from the story. In the beginning, I arranged for characters' deaths to be a 50-50 thing. They had equal odds of dying or surviving, except for Miko whose death was totally random.

Finally there was the Techno-Angels, whom despite their role behind the scenes were not featured much. I feel like I exaggerated on their description given they only appear once and they were merely the proof that humanity was going to return, eventually.

Keep in mind these are just my thoughts on my work. And I don't think I'll continue Riku's story now. I'm trying to reduce the number of pending stories I have, seeing as now I won't be writing so often.

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed this work. Good Writings/Readings!


End file.
